PLEA FOR MIDLAND RAILWAY

Taranaki Daily News, 7 June 1930, Page 9

PLEA FOR MIDLAND RAILWAY

MR. G. O. BLACK’S CHALLENGE. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Westport, Last Night. “All the talk about the unstable nature of the Buller Gorge route for the Murchison-Inangahua section of the Midland line is only political humbug,” said Mr. G. C. Black when interviewed to-day after his trip through the gorge to the Inangahua Junction. “I challenge all critics to prove where, because of dividing or otherwise, the route has been affected since the Railway Authorisation Act of 1929 was passed through the House after Mr. Adam Hamilton’s amendment to delete the reference to the Midland railway from Murchison to Inangahua from the schedule to the Bill was defeated on the voices. I have again made representations to the Government to have the survey, for which instructions have already been issued, untaken forthwith.

“If our critics are fair why do they not dwell a little on the recent tests which have been conducted by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, which will mean a saving of thousands of pounds per annum to the working railways through the use of New Zealand coal. It is many a long day sin'ce Mr. Massey said the railway would pay as a coal line alone.”