NAPIER-GISBORNE RAIL

Wairarapa Daily Times, 16 April 1935, Page 5

NAPIER-GISBORNE RAIL

NOT A ‘‘DEAD LETTER.” GISBORNE, Monday. As is natural, when the question of transport is concerned, and a Cabinet Minister is present, the thoughts of Gisborno people turn to the abandoned railway between Napier and Poverty Bay. The subject was introduced by Mr D. W. Coleman, M.P., to-day in a speech at the official opening of the East Coast Airways service between Gisborne and Napier. Mr Ransom, in the course of his reply, said the Gisborne-Napier railway was not a dead letter. As Minister of Lands he often felt that a fine district was isolated, and had tried tp overcome that. He thought closer settlement might be compensation, but in view of the drop in prices, he had so far failed to bring that aspect to a satisfactory conclusion. The matter of a railway was purely a business proposition. When the railway was commenced it was regarded as a sound proposition, and he regretted the conditions which had led to the stoppage. He never travelled this district without feeling extreme regret that the expenditure lay wasting. It had been suggested that the Railways Board should take into consideration the completion of the railway, disregarding the past capital expenditure, and was asked to decide if tho line would pay interest. The board’s conclusion was adverse. Many probably doubted the conclusions of the board, but one of the difficulties was that farmers did not patronise the railways as they should. He would be pleased to see the district served by an excellent railway service, but it annoyed him to see road transport competing seriously with tho railway. When excellent railways in other parts of the country were not patronised it was difficult to complete other railways. The Gisborne-Napier railway was not a dead letter, said tho Minister. If business people wore prepared ot finance it so far as the balance of the cost was concerned, the Government would be pleased to let it go ahead. —(P.A.)