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Hokitika Guardian, 6 April 1929, Page 4

It is in to resting to note the increase in the volume ol goods carried on tlio .Midland lino as compared with the Jigiires' of previous years. Since the opening of tiie through line tlicie has neon a steady increase in the volume H goods trame. The increase for the past year has been no less than 10-j,-_u.> t.iiis, liew exceeding substantially, the half million mark. It is eonceiv.iOie. also, that the passenger traffic nas grown, while the transport of motor ears has also been increased. 'Those facts are a complete answer to the Jeremiahs who assisted so long to delay die completion of the line on the grounds that it would not pay. Coal and timber are the great feeders of ihe line, and to supplement that trade the country has resolved as part ol its railway policy, to complete the Buikr dorge line and so tap additional coal traffic. Just in the same way by extending the "Westland section beyond Koss the timber trade from that quarter can lie increas'd also. When tae floss line was projected there was the usual cry by opponents that the line would not pay, yet we have seen timber activities established along the route, and a valuable part of the freightage is timber. The Public Works Statement of 1911 at tlie end of the Ward regime, fully recognised the claims ol the line for extension, and the work was authorised by statute, as well as by parliamentary vote-. Yet in the first Public Works Statement of the Massey Government, the line was dropped on the plea of no funds," while actually the Alas<oy Government increased the railway construction expenditure over that of the Ward Government, and lines authorised later than the Moss extension were given preference to the exclusion of the local railway. Now that Sir Joseph Ward is in power those facts might well ho brought under his notice, with a view to tardy justice being done to Westland as regards railway construction. It is true Mr Contes promised improved reading and did a great deal to fulfill that promise. but the road is far from being equal to the growing requirements of the district. It is too narrow for the volume of traffic using the road, and still requires to be pushed mi mb further south. The reasons which prompted Sir Joseph in 1911 to have faith in the prospects of the line it constructed. are reinforced now by the demonstration of what railway transport is' doing for the timber industry in the district, and it would be a most opportune time for those eoneerned to press for the extension of the line being given and the beneficient legislation already on tlie Statute Hook authorising the line, being brought into operation.