BROKEN PLEDGE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 9 January 1931, Page 6

BROKEN PLEDGE

CITY COUNCIL’S PROTESTS PROPOSED DEPUTATION TO WELLINGTON Members of the Nelson City Council last evening expressed disappointment at and protest against the action of the Government' in : discontinuing work on the Nolson-Murchison line. The Mayor, Mr W. J. Moffatt, moved that the Council protest against the stoppage of work on the Midland line, it not being in accordance with the pledge of thp Government. The Mayor, said Sir Joseph Ward had given- an. assurance that the railway would he taken to Murchison in three years. The. £125,000 put aside for the work this year should be spent. It came as s! blow and a surprise, he continued, to find the work stopped when Nelson was given to understand a vigorous railway policy would be followed by the Government. • , Councillor J. Stringer seconded the motion, which, was carried. Councillor R. Watson supported the protest. i- He considered the amount agreed to-by the Government should be spent. The Government had given an r „ . , . I.U ' '

assurance that the work would be gone on with and Nelson should protest against the decision to stop work. Councillor G. P. Russell said were it not that the Government was going on with the east coast line, the position would be different. He considered the line least likely to pay was being cohtinued. He favoured sending a deputation to Wellington. Councillor Stringer moved that . the Progress League he asked to arrange a deputation to go to Wellington to wait on the Minister. Councillor F. W. Huggins said he would oppose any expenditure in the effort until the return of the Prime Minister as he considered action in such matters should be delayed until his return. . ’ . Councillor W. McConclne considered it the duty of the Government to fulfil its pledges. The motion was seconded and carried. . The Mayor and Councillor S. A. Gibus were appointed the Council’s representatives on the proposed deputation. The Chamber of Commerce is to be asked to co-operate. Councillor Gibbs asked : What are we to do with the 300 men put out of work by the stoppage? We have to find work for those men.” He considered if the funds of the Government were not enough to continue the work on the railway then the Unemployment Board funds should supplement the work. “The poll tax has .to be used somewhere,” lie said, ‘‘and it could not be used better than in a national work like a trunk railway.” He said the Government was disturbing the men from a good work in order to pay them sustenance. _ , The Mayor : ‘‘l suppose I will get into trouble if I mention that seventy millions of the United Party’s. The Government has not yet completed its b° r ' rowing scheme.” He considered the seventy millions had been the lure which had gained a number of northern seats for the Government. Councillor Huggins: “That seventy millions was only a figure of speech.