RAILWAY PROMISES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 75, 3 September 1947, Page 7

RAILWAY PROMISES

LETTER TO PRIME MINISTER NO SHORTAGE OF EXCUSES At the monthly meeting of the Opotiki Chamber of Commerce held last week, and presided over by Mr E. C. East, the question of the railway link to Opotiki again came forward for discussion. Correspondence in connection with the matter was read by the acting secretary, Mr F. J. Mohr.

The following letter dated 27th August has been forwarded to the Rt. Hon. the Prime Minister, Mr P. Fraser:— “I am again instructed to write to you urging that the promises of the late Rt. Hon. M. Savage, yourself and the Minister of Works, that the railway from Taneatua to Opotiki would be completed be kept. “I am directed to point out that those promises have been made over a period of 11 years, but so far nothing has been done to show that the promise will be kept.

“Innumerable letters have been written to the Hon. Minister of Works, but in his replies he still makes the promises that the work will be gone on with and finds excuses of various kinds as to why the work cannot be commenced immediately. It would appear that there are severe shortages of different kinds, but there appears to be no shortage of excuses. “My Chamber notes that other railways of less importance are being constructed and urges that immediate steps be taken to commence the construction.” The following letter of the same date was forwarded to Mr W. Sullivan, M.P.:— “I enclose herewith copy of letter forwarded to the Prime Minister, and would ask that you do your utmost to urge the commencement of this important work. Members of the Chamber are of the opinion that the Minister of Works is getting too old for his job as in spite of the promises made by him in years past, he brings out his ten-year plan merely with a short reference that investigations iy being made as to whether a railway or a road would be the most advisable.”

Copies of these letters will also be sent to Federated Farmers.

Mr East said that the question of railway or road did not enter into the matter as plans were already under way for the reconstruction of the road between Rotorua and Gisborne via the White Pine Bush.