LEVIN- MARTON DEVIATION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2795, 9 October 1924, Page 2

LEVIN- MARTON DEVIATION.

(To The Editor.)

Sir, —As it is (.lie privilege of a Britisher to defend anyone or anything (even a dog) if attacked unfairly, kindly grant me space to reply to the criticism levelled at Mr Linklator, M.P. at Tuesday night’s meeting, and also by your correspondent, Mr Rollings. In the first place, his critics evidently do not know, or wilfully overlook the fact, that this electorate, which Mr Linklater represents, takes in a portion of Longburn, skirts around Palmerston N. and into Kelvin Grove thence along the railway line to Bunny tliorpe, so that the proposed deviation at Palmerston N. aoes through his electorate, and surely no one would expect him to oppose a proposal which will be transferring the business of Palmerston X. into his electorate. If vour readers will take the trouble to look up Hansard of August 14th, page !)(), they will sec that Mr Ltnkjulcr spoke as follows: —“He also wished to refer to question No. 14. which had already been referred to by the members for Kangitikei and Olaki. Although reports from two Commissions had been received regarding this most important work, ami -although those Commissions reported adversely to the immediate construction of the deviation in question, it was his candid opinion that it would have to be pul in hand in the future.,The consideration of the cutting out of the seventeen miles of running of trains for all time, the possibility of having a daylight run between Auckland and Wellington and also the cutting out of a number of steep grades between Levin and Great ford, and other important advantages, must he taken into consideration, tic hoped the matter would not be overlooked by the coming Railway Commission, bnl that the construction of the Levin and Great ford deviation and of the Palmerston X". deviation, taken jointly, would receive due consideration by that body, so that the unfortunate agitation that had been going on for years between the people of Mnnawain and the people of Palmerston North would lie settled i'ot all time.”

Could anything lie fairer, or more to the point/ The Premier has time and again asked members not to waste the lime of the House by useless talking, and it was not necessary for MV Linklater to take up the l inn'of' the House by speaking when the Minister of Railways laid his proposals on the table. The time for him to speak is when the different proposals come up for serious consideration for same to he adopted or not. I, ;ts secretary of the Chamber of Commerce, have a good idea what Mr Linklater lias clone for this district, and had Mr Rollings attended our meetings after being elected to our executive, about 18 months ago, lie would also have known. It was Mr Linklater, too, who, as chairman of the Foxton Harbour Board, brought down the proposals for a new wharf and storage accommodation here; but it was left to our Mayor to suggest that these he cut down by about half. But 1 am pleased Mr Chrystall thinks Mr Linklater should be loyal to this portion of his electorate, and no doubt Mr Chrystall will show similar loyalty by supporting the Fox lon Dairy proposal as against Shannon. Cr. Thompson’s suggestion to obtain another member for this district might give him the opportunity mentioned in Steele Rudd’s classic, “Dad in Politics.”—Yours R. McMURiRAY.