EAST COAST RAILWAY

Hokitika Guardian, 11 January 1929, Page 2

EAST COAST RAILWAY

HEARTY SUPPORT FROM DUNEDIN. DUNEDIN, January 9. After having fully convinced himself that one of the most outstanding questions before the South Island at the present time is the completion of the East Coast main trunk railway from Parnassus to Picton Mr S. B. Macdonald, president of the Otago Expansion League, announced to-day that it is his intention to propound a scheme to organise a tour by both North and South Island members of Parliament over the proposed route, and also over the country in the present gap in the West Coast line between Glenhope and lnangahua. Mr Macdonald has recently been over the districts and he states that the country which would be served by the line on the east is, with the exception of a very small area, all good farming land, but is at present very sparsely populated. He saw some excellent crops, both in North Canterbury and Marlborough. Mr Macdonald was in complete agreement with the Government’s opinion that the line should be diverted at Parnassus and Wharanui to the inland route down the Waiau Valley, for it would open up a large area of good land there and would not be subjected to the danger of being Washed away, as it would if laid along the coast and the beaches. He was certain that the completion off this trunk line w'ould make the South Island in just the same manner that the completion of the North Island line assured the prosperity of the North. He admitted that the inland route would cost' more initially than the coast route, but it would be bettor from the point of view of the amount of country opened up.

Mr Macdonald then went on to explain that the ferry for Wellington would leave from Picton, but there was now a suggestion that the other torminus should be Plimmerton on the west coast of the North Island. Tin's would cut the trip down to about two

hours and a half, while it now took about five hours. Mr MacDonald intends bringing the matter before the executive of the league, with the object of asking the Canterbury Progress League, in conjunction with the Christchurch Chamber of Commerce and the Progress Leagues of Marlborough, Nelson and Westland, to organise a tour of members of Parliament over the country concerned before the next session of Parliament. He stated that he intended to do all ho could to convince the executive of the league that it could do nothing better than urge the Government to complete the lines at the earliest possible moment.