MAY BE SUSPENDED

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 05, Issue 91, 14 August 1942, Page 5

MAY BE SUSPENDED

W". ' <»- : TS&&EATUA RAILHEAD SERVICE

CONCERN IN WHAKATANE

The policy of curtailment "which is now being; followed by the Government with a view to -conserving the petrol >and rubber supplies of the Dominion is likely to have very drastic repercussions in the country districts where alternative trans:port routes fail to exist or where good's will be froced to make a Tlong,. uncertain circuitous' route by sea. Such a position will obtain in Whakatane if the Tane--atua railhead service is eliminated as there appears to be • every possibility of at the next • sitting of the No. 1 Licensing -Authority in this town.

The above matter which appears r to be almost inevitable was the sub,'ject of serious discussion at a combined meeting of the Retailers SubCommittee and the Council of the '.Whakatane Chamber of Commerce.

It Avas decided at- this meeting "that the whole question be referred to the Chamber at its next meeting with the suggested recommendation fihat a solicitor be engaged to congest the move and to prepare evidence which will show the drastic effect of such curtailment on the 'commercial life of the town.

The sitting of the licensing.Authority is anticipated in the near future and for that reason there is -every need for speed in the compila--tion of the case for the town. It -does not take a great deal of rcllection to realise the Aveaknesses of alternative sea transport where the road services to Taneatua are cut. Goods from Wellington for instance would require to be sailed to Auckland and then shipped by coastal service to Whakatane, occupying in -all something in the region of two weeks—providing the weather remains reasonably fine and the bar workable. All this merely by the -severance of a ten-mile link with 'the railhead.

While it is only to be cxpected that the service should be curtailed in the National interest, it is hoped in order to maintain business at a reasonable level, that it will not be entirely eliminated as such action would have a disastrously crippling effect .upon the town as a centre.

While the above matter is of primary interest the committee meeting has also interested itself in the maintenance if possible of Loval's service (Whakatane-Tauranga) which is also in danger of elimination, and which it was proved to :the Transport Department three -months ago was vital to the R.D. deliveries, which had utilised the run to save overlapping. Both matters have been brought to the notice of the district M.P., Mr W. Sullivan, who has been asked to make the requisite representations.