CREDIT HIGH WHEN REFORM WENT OUT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3956, 15 June 1929, Page 2

CREDIT HIGH WHEN REFORM WENT OUT.

* OPPOSITION LEADER TALKS ON RAILWAYS. “TAUPO LIKE JUSTIFIED.” Invercargill, Last Night. At a luncheon tendered by his* supporters to-day, the Hon. J. G. Co'ates, leader of the Opposition, said that when the Reform party relinquished the reins of office, the credit of t'he country stood higher than ever before, showing that the policy followed had been sound in principle and had worked out in practice. In addition to producing healthy trading 'balances, the late government had been instrumental. in reducing the consolidated accounts by £190,000, by which sum taxation had been reduced. The Reform government had never waved the flag or endeavoured to take credit that was not due nor had it hesitated to give an opponent full credit for any good work. He hoped the present government would be as fair in its treatment.

Mr. Coates said it was not generally known in the 'South Island that all negotiations towards the establishment of a. regular shipping service between Victoria and the South Island had been' canned our by himself and all that was left for the present government to do was to take up the specifications and finalise matters.

In referring to railway construction, Mr. Coates said he hoped that before the government proceeded with any project, a full statement on the economic position would be made available, in order that "the costs might be weighed against the advantages. He touched on the Taupo railway and stressed the fact that full] investigations made before the work bad been proceeded with had .shown that the project had been fully justified. The Taupo railway could not be compared with the South Island main trunk extension, as the former was purely a developmental line. In regard to the latter, he< had said that the line should be completed but careful investigation was necessary before the work could be put in hand. “We have a job in front of us as an Opposition,” Mr. Coates concluded, “but it wild be full of interest. We shall give the government reasonable ' time and opportunity but there shall be criticism if it is necessary and we will expect the government to answer any questions we may ask.”