CLOSING RAILWAY LINES

Taranaki Daily News, 21 August 1930, Page 19

CLOSING RAILWAY LINES

■MINISTER -SUGGESTS REMEDY”. INCREASED TRAFFIC NECESSARY. Ey Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Aug. 20.. If frettiers in '-dltfdrent : districts in which branch lines''liii’ve been closed will form themselves' into A- vigilance committee and make' 'an effort to increase railway traffic ' the 'Minister, Mr. W. A. Veitch, is prep.qtoß to. consider the reopening of lines. This promise was given to a deputation to-day from the Ashburton district, which pointed out that many farmers woulcl suffer through the dosing of the four miles of railway from Mount Somers to Springbum.N

The deputation pointed out that the country served required heavy top-dress-ing, and farmers relied on the railways for the carriage of/fertilisers. Mr. Veitch agreed that top-dressing was a great factor in increasing the production of farms, but pointed,out that the loss on the line was serious, over. £lOO per annum. He knew that the closing of the line was a serious thing for farmers, but the financial position of, the railways was also a serious thing for th© G-overnm^itp..