NELSON RAIL LINK COMPLETION

Grey River Argus, 14 October 1948, Page 8

NELSON RAIL LINK COMPLETION

WELLINGTON, Oct. 12

A plea for the extension of the Nelson to West Coast railway, at least as far as Murchison, was made by Mr E. R. Neale (Nat., Nelson), speaking on the Railway construction vote in the House of'Representatives to-day. Trains had actually run on part of that line for eight years. Mr Neale said, but during the war for some reason eight miles of line had been taken up. Had work on the line not been stopped in 1931 the line would have been through to Burchison within 10 months. Mr Neale said Nelso.n people were perturbed at the recent prosecutions of motor-trucks for over-loading. Without the railway link Nelson was dependent on motor-trucks for its West Coast trade. If the regulations were to be strictly enforced many more trucks would have to go on the road and freight costs would go up greatly. The Minister of Railways (the Hon. R. Semple) said the department had to keep always in mind the shortage of steel. "Even if we decided to go on to-morrow with the line to Murchison we would not have the steel for the rails to put on it,” said the Minister.