MINISTER’S VISIT.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5433, 10 June 1929, Page 2

MINISTER’S VISIT.

MR. W. B. TAVERNER AT PAEROA COMPLIMENTARY LUNCHEON. THE PAEROA-POKENO LINE. Sixty-odd guests sat down to a complimentary luncheon tendered by the Paeroa Borough Council in the Criterion Hotel on Friday to the Minister of Railways and party, who had just completed an inspection of the proposed Paeroa-Pokeno railway route. The Mayor of Paeroa, Mr W. Marshall, who was accompanied by Mrs Marshall, presided. The Hon. W. B. Taverner, Minister of Railways, Mrs Taverner and her sister, Miss Simpson, the Hon. A. J. Stallworthy, Minister of Health, and Messrs A. M. Samuel, M.P. for Thames, A. W. Hall, M.P. for Hauraki C. E. Macmillan, M.P. for Tauranga, W. Lee Martin, M.P. for Raglan, J. N. Massey, M.P. for Franklin, H. R. Jenkins, M.P. for Parnell, G. C. Munns, M.P. for Mt. Roskill, comprised the Parliamentary representatives. Among the local body representatives were the Mayors of Tauranga and Waihi, Messrs B. C. Robbins and W. M. Wallnutt; the chairmen of the Ohinemuri, Hauraki Plains, and Thames County Councils, Messrs C. Mason, C. W. Harris, and 11. Lowe ; the deputy-chair-man of the Tauranga County Council, Mr W. F. Sinclair; the’chairman of the Tauranga Harbour Board, Mr J. G. Green ; the chairman of the Te Puke Town Board, Mr H. O. Cooney ; the chairmen of the Waihi and Pokeno Chambers of Commerce, Messrs J. B, Beeche and J. Woodcock. Members of the Ministerial party included Messrs W. R. Davidson, assistant chief engineer, Railways Department, R. Aickin, private secretay to the Minister ; and the Public Works Department was represented by Messrs F. S. Dyson, district engineer, Auckland, and A. P. Grant, assistant engineer, Paeroa. After a most excellent repast Mr Marshall rose to propose His Majesty’s health. Later His Worship announced that he had received telegrams of regret for absence, but wishes for success, from the lion. J. P. Donald and Messrs A. Mason, J. S. Fletcher and M. J. Savage, M’s.P., together with a whole host from important local bodies and business men’s organisations, including one from the Mayor of Auckland and one from the Auckland Chamber of Commerce.

Mr Marshall, in the course of an introductory speech, pointed out to the Minister the representative gathering around him consisting of members of Parliament and the various local bodies interested. The whole thing had been spontaneous. The arrangements had been made in a hurry, and only a few invitations could be sent out in the time. The speaker thought such an assembly was a tribute to the Paeroa-Pokeno railway. In proposing the health of the Minister of Railways Mr Marshall also included Mrs Taverner, saying how delightful it was to see her and Miss Simpson present. Also included in the toast was the Hon. A. J. Stallworthy. Mr Taverner was a man of wide experience, and was occupying a position of heavy responsibility. The whole northern district paid tribute to him and wished him every success. The speaker said he took Mr Taverner’s presence as a high compliment. He had weight in the Cabinet, and it was believed he would use it on behalf of the Paeroa-Pokeno railway. It was a red-letter day for Paeroa, but there was still a greater day ahead of them, the day when the Minister returned to turn the first sod of the Paeroa-Pokeno railway. Mr Taverner, in reply, returned thanks not only on behalf of himself, but on behalf of Mrs Taverner as well. He and Mrs Taverner ran things fifty-fifty. She was .keenly interested in the Paeroa-Pokeno railway, and frequently at night, when they had an opportunity to talk, she would ask, you got anything done for those good people up North, I forget the name of the place ?” Therefore he had certainly no chance to forget his duty to the district, and certainly did not intend to. Coming over the Plains that morning he had been struck by the fertility and abundant potentialities of the district. He had been reminded of what Sir George Grey said when he stood on a nearby hill and exclaimed that in the future the surrounding, country would carry a great population of a million, Fifteen years ago it had, been almost impassable swamp land. The first people on it had stuck to it, with the result apparent to-day. He had been told that it was the richest district in cattle in the Dominion—

A Voice : “No .' the Waikato.” Yet another : “The Bay of Plenty.” However, continued the Minister, it was extremely fertile and productive. He was closely associated with Mr 11. H. Sterling, of the Railways Department, whose business was railways, but whose hobby was butter-fat! Mr Sterling had impressed upon him what a wonderful region the Hauraki Plains was. The demands for the railways were collective ones. The member for Thames had placed before him the very evident needs of the district, and the speaker said that the question would have to come up in Cabinet before long, and would have to be given very serious consideration, because the line must be built sooner or later.

The Minister said he represented not only one portion of the Dominion, but the interests of the whole country. He favoured neither North or South, and was not parochial. It must be realised, though, that there were many gatherings of people advocating railways just as sincere as the the present one. Nothing would give him greater pleasure than to turn the first sod of the Paeroa-Pokeno railway. He asked the assemblage to trust him to do the best possible, with what funds were available, to get done what they desired and were entitled to. The same consideration would be given one claim as another. There were many railways urgently waiting completion, and all

could not be done at once. The present Government had been called a commercial one. When years went by it could still lay claim to that. The most important thing in the country was to see that the interests of the vast farming community did not suffer. Primary industries should be kept up to the highest pitch. Men should be kept on the land. New Zealand had, as far as he could ascertain, the highest per capita export any country had ever known. But side by side with the abundant prosperity of the farmers was the sad state in the cities. There the factories were not working to capacity—they had no opportunity to do so. The city could not provide work for men. A statement had appeared in Dunedin papers that the drift to the cities proved there was plenty of food there. Whi : e n<<t caring to dispute the statement made by one who was an undoubted authority, he did refute it. It was not right. (Hear, hear.) Duty must be done to the agriculturists ; and at the same time secondary products must be built up. It was a job for the best brains to see whether a national policy could be evolved to place the farming community in a happy position and also keep the activities of the, cities going. It was plain that advance must be along these lines.

The Minister said he had listened to Mr Samuel on the project with the greatest pleasure. Although not within his power to promise, he assured the gathering that from what he had seen he would not only give full regard to the matter, but would go fully into it and ask Cabinet to consider it. That was as far as he could go. The people interested in the PaeroaPokeno railway had every right to a share in the public expenditure. They were pledged to keep elevated above party politics. They must get together and do the best possible. He would give the whole question his very sympathetic consideration, personally and before Cabinet. The matter would be considered from local and national points of view. The Hon. A. J. Stallworthy, speaking next, said it was only the previous evening that he had been able to finalise arrangements to attend the meeting. Regarding the question of the moment, the position of railway construction was a matter the Government could not speak too freely on. A Voice : “Go on, don’t be afraid.”

“No,” continued the Minister, “not at all afraid.” The question of railway construction work in New Zealand was being very actively discussed, and the position was delicate in one way, and yet not in another. It was for the Prime Minister, as Min'ister for Finance, to say. Cabinet had not yet fully discussed the situation, and therefore the subject must be approached with a certain amount of reserve. For another day or two they had to be a little guarded. Part of Arterial System. The Paeroa-Pokeno railway should not be regarded as a short deviation, but as a part of the arterial system, continued the Minister. The . Government’s policy was to have nothing to do with short railways. The PaeroaPokeno line would be an economic one. The East Coast line was so far a business project, and had responded to every economic test. He believed the Paeroa-Pokeno line would be the proper necessary link in the arterial system, and if established would pay handsomely. Cabinet should certainly consider it, and the decision should be favourable if financial resources would, fit. Things should be done. Mr Stallworthy also stressed the fact that the Cook Strait made no difference in national affairs—-country came first. Ngatea Labour Party. On the conclusion of the Hon. Stallworthy’s speech Mr Marshall read a telegram from the Ngatea branch of the Labour Party urging the need for the early construction of the line. This, remarked Mr Marshall, showed that all shades of politics were represented in the request.

Upon Mr C. W. Harris fell the duty of proposing the toast to the New Zealand Parliament. He emphasised the fact of what a high and honourable position it was with the men in it worthy ones. It was for for country first and for country last. After the gathering that day they would be a far more united party. Mr A. W. Hall, M.P., said that first in the country’s politics should come land settlement, and then transport, of which the railways were the most important. Prosperity depended on primary production, and all would get together and help the Government with any fair and reasonable scheme for land settlement, and also support railways when right. He himself would certainly support the PaeroaPokeno line. No proposed railway had greater possibilities of paying cost of construction.

Mr J. N. Massey, M.P., said his views were well known. The country depended on primary production. Land settlement needed transport. He believed the Coates Goveiamient had been working on a sound railway policy to a certain limit. When they had started the Taupu railway they had started one of the biggest’ land schemes yet undertaken. He was a strong advocate of the Paeroa-Pokeno line. It would place the Bay of Plenty within easy distance of Auckland and reduce overhead charges. It would take traffic off the road and thereby reduce the farmers’overhead expenses. Mr Lee Martin, M.P., remarked that some thirty years ago someone had brought him to see the Hauraki Plains and he had not liked the look of them. To-day they were wonderful. Of all the railways suggested none had a greater claim than the Paeroa-Pokeno. He had been over the Rotorua-Taupo region a few weeks ago. It was wonderful country, too, and in years to come would support a great population. But at present it was a vast houseless country awaiting settlement. On the Hauraki Plains the settlers were already there. He was satisfied that once the railway was started there would be no stopping the district. Taupo would come, but it was useless to open up land for big landowners to make capital out of. He would to the best of his ability assist

the present Government to keep the promises they made at the general election. He had never been a great party man. He wished for all to get together when it came to a national question affecting the whole country. He looked to the day when there would be no party government, butall would be working for the Dominion together. Mr G. C. Munns, M.P., referring to the speeches and to some humorous stories told, said they had been to Tauranga, Rotorua, etc., and heaven and he wondered where they were going to next. He was going to address himself to one question, that of the Paeroa-Pokeno railway. The PaeroaPokeno line was an absolutely necessary main arterial railway—a foremost and urgent need. In Auckland they had before them three projects t the Morningside tunnel, the Harbour bridge, and the Paeroa-Pokeno railway. They had put the Paeroa-Pokeno railway first, as being for the greatest good of the country. They had been insisting and insisting on it. He was an absolute advocate for the line. Mr H. R. Jenkins, M.P., following, ' said the question of railways had dogged'him. He had opposed them to Sir Joseph Ward with the oexception of the Paeroa-Pokeno line, which he told the Prime Minister he was behind. Mr A. M. Samuel, M.P., maintained that the Thames district would not be asking for the railway unless there was something in it. The railway would benefit the whole of the province and the whole of the Dominion. The Minister had said it was not a party matter. If he did not think it economic he would not support it. The proposal to build main trunk railways had evinced sufficient support from the public to place the United Party in power. If acting on the voice of the. people, it was plain duty to put through the Paeroa-Pokeno line and complete the East Coast main trunk line. If they commenced it, and he was sure they would, there would not be one voice against it. One-eighth of the New Zealand Parliament were present in the room, and others, as well had stated that they were heartily in support of the railway. Mr Samuel reiterated that he would help the Government all he could to do the best for the country. If not- legislating along party lines he would help with a safe and national policy. There would be ready for the Minister of' Railways upon his return to .turn the first sod*a golden trowel: a trowel made from gold produced in the district, and paid for by all associated with the work. He believed that if the Reform Government had remained longer in power they wouia ha /e gone into the matter. There was no reason why their successors should not give a reply. He was sure they would say yes. If not, they had better look out, for they would encounter very powerful opposition to the building of every other railway. The building of the line would, as well, find work for the unemployed. Mr C. E. Macmillan, M.P., the last Parliamentary speaker, pointed out that when built the Paeroa-Pokeno railway would cut out the present 44mile extra drag to Auckland from the East Coast. There was a shortage of cattle trucks. If the line was con-, structed these trucks could be returned and used again in a far shorter time. In the Bay of Plenty hundreds, of thousands of acres of Government land awaited opening for settlement. Good rapid communication and the opening up of the land would mean its being , taken up by land-hungry people. He knew nothing that would he so good or so rapid as the PaeroaPokeno railway. The duplication would be saved and the Rotorua traffic relieved.

Mr B. C. Robbins, the last speaker,, spoke in support of the line with the backing of the Bay of Plenty Development League, which, he explained, was made up of all the local bodies in the district and included the Rotorua borough and county, as well as farmers’ unions. At their annual meeting there had been no less than three remits tabled urging the construction of the line. The question was not a parochial one, but one affecting the whole of the Dominion. The Bay of Plenty was a marvellous region for stock, farming, and the growing of citrus fruits. Traffic qvet the longdelayed East Coast railway had more than amply proved it to be a paying proposition, but gave only slight indication of the vast potentialities. If the Government did not hurry and build the Paeroa-Pokeno line, then the people of the Bay of Plenty would force their hand, as they would never be able to take the increasing traffic over the line as at present constituted. “Where,” said Mr Robbins, “could such produce be got as through the building of this line ?”