STOPPAGE OF RAILWAY WORKS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 18760, 26 December 1930, Page 2

STOPPAGE OF RAILWAY WORKS.

GISBORNE PROTEST. By Telegraph—Press Association GISBORNE, December 24. The Poverty Bay railway delegation, representing all sections of the community to-day passed the following resolution: “That this delegation strongly protests against any stoppage of work on the Gisborhe-Waikokopu line. The promise made by the late Sir Joseph Ward was that he would put the work so far in hand that no other Government could stop its competion, and unless Parliament is called together and agrees to stop all railway construction throughout the Dominion we expect your Party to carry out this work and honour its pledge. We further expect you to honour your pledge to hear and consider our views on the matter, either by receiving a delegation from us, or, preferrably, by visiting the district and discussing the matter on the spot. The loss involved in abandoning or even postponing the completion of that portion of the line, amounting to about 20 miles, which is so essential to the success of the whole work, would be so serious as to outweigh completely any gain to the finances of the country, and such important decisions cannot be arrived at without much more comprehensive consideration than this has received. We affirm and can prove our information as to the probable revenue is quite accurate. The line from Napier northward is entirely dependant upon Poverty Bay traffic for its success. The revenue of Poverty Bay would be reduced from a probable £130,000 to practically nil by the noncompletion of the connection. The loss entailed by the stoppage of work in its present stage, and the delay in giving the completed portion the advantage of Poverty Bay traffic is infinitely greater than the gain. We urgently request that the work be not stopped until a final decision be reached and that the present organisation be not destroyed.”