RAILWAY WORK

Hokitika Guardian, 27 December 1930, Page 4

RAILWAY WORK

POVERTY BAY PROTEST. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) GISBORNE, December 24. Poverty Bay railway delegation representing all sections of the community to-day passed the following resolution.—“ That this delegation strongly protest against any stoppage of work on the Gisborne-Waikokopu line. A promise made by the late Sir Joseph Ward was that lie would put the work so far in hand that no other Government could stop its completion, and unless Parliament is called together and agrees to stop all railway construction throughout the Dominion we expect vour Party to carry out this work and honour its pledge. We further expect you to honour your pledge to hear and consider our views on the matter by receiving a. delegation from us or preferably by Visiting the district and discussing the matter on the spot. The loss involved in abandoning, or even postponing completion of that portion of the line amounting to about 20 miles which is so essential to the success of the whole work, would he so serious as to outweigh completely any gain to the finances of the country, and such an, important decision cannot he arrived at without much more comprehensive consideration than this has received. We affirm and can prove our informa, tion ns to the probable revenue is quite accurate. The line from Napier northward is entirely dependent upon Poverty Bay traffic for ; its success, The revenue from Povertv Bnv would he reduced from a probable £130.0C0 to practically nil by the non-com-pletion of the connection. The loss entailed hv the stoppage of work in its Present stage and delav in giving the completed portion advantage of Poverty Bay traffic is infinitely greater than the gain. We urgently reanest that the woric he not stopped until a final decision he reached and that the present organisation he net destroyed.