EAST COAST LINE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 270, 9 July 1932, Page 4

EAST COAST LINE

MAY BE CLOSED SIGNIFICANT INDICATION FROM RAILWAYS BOARD VISIT OF INSPECTION WHAKATANE, Friday. Members of the Railway Board visited Whakatane and Taneatua yesterday and on Thursday, in order to inspect the East Coast line. Deputations were received at a representativa meeting in Whakatane on Thursday evening. when a plain indication was given by the chairman of the board, Mr. H. H. Sterling, that unless financial returns from the line improve, there is every prospect of its being closed. Mr. J. G. Cliff-McCulloeh deputy chairman of the Whakatane County Council, presided over the meeting in the absence of the chairman, Mr. W. Reid. Mr. McCulloch-$xtended ;a- welconie to the board and stated that all pre-i S'ant realised the vital importance of the question at issue. The railway was valued very highly, but the board had rep'resented that* the line had not received its~measure of support. "We must keep our railway alive," emphatically declared the speaker. Board's Failure Mr. W. Sullivan, Mayor of Whakatane, joined with the previous speaker in extending a welcome to the board on their first visit to the district. Mr McCulloch had given those present a good lecture on loyalty. However, when the line was first coxnmenced the intention of the Government was that the line should be e^tended to Gisborne. The Railways Board had fail'ed to effect economy. A loss of £38,000 had been made pn the line during the past 12 months. The actual mileage from Taneatua to Paeroa was 111 miles. The speaker felt sure that 15 to 20 years ago the policy of the Government was to construet -railways with the object of developing the country through which it p.assed. Now it seemed as if the Government insisted that each line pay its own way. From the 'alevated heights of Manawahe from which the members had seen that day, a great sight of the whole of the Rangitaiki Plains, it could be seen that the area had hardly been scratched. The population must grow and he appealed to the board to take a long view of the matter. If they were prepared to carry their loss into the near future he felt certain that the losses would gradually diminish as population increased. Benefits Appreciated Mr. K. S. Williams, M.P., said that he thought the policy or suggested policy of the board was exceedingly wise. They had now an opportunity of forming their own opinions and hearing complaints. He asked the board not to be too hasty in rejecting theoffers made to them. Stressing the young age of the district, the speaker remarked that if their vision could

go a few years ahead then the set-H tlers would meet them. He falt certainB that the benefits of the railway veren generally appreciated. || The chairman of the board, Mr. !■ 1 H. Sterling_was given a hearty vral-H ! eome. Mr. Sterling emphasised tbH statutory duty in regard to non-payinjli lines which had been laid on tbH board by the enactment which liai^ brought it into existence. During past year the position with regardH to the Taneatua line had not shimH a satisfactory result. During that per-H iod there had been a loss of £38,llB| in working expenses apart from iC'||| terest. This had given the board grealH concern. sm Not Up To Test 1|| The statute definitely laid domuffi financial test. Careful records ha® oeen kept during the year and on tb® tests there was a prima facie cas® against the line. That was the piE-fH tion in which the board stood. Tl:®| board desired the line to remain but unless circumstances changedtb^P board would be failing in its duty if®| allowed matters to continue. He ful; Bp reeognised the great progress the d.®K trict had made but unless the tioaw| could get the full co-operation of HflB people of the district the financial would have to be adhered to. In twj| opinion of the board, this sectionl^H not answer the test. Apart from the moral ohligatir«| on business grounds it was intl^B interests of the people of the trict to place their business vvitti t|B; undertaking in which they had a rect interest. Unless the Itaihvay BjH partment could carry the higher ratfffi^ commodities, then the service for r-S||!« low rated goods on which the foBB«l| tion of the district's progress depK-Mg^ could not he continued. In view ofi^®' triplication of transport, rail, sea motor, there was produced a su?®HIf capacity which had to be paid for^^gc the price was paid by the tax-pajJBin Mr. Downie Stewart had expressed^gls opinion that saturation point hadl^®o reached as regards taxation (Mr. Sterling) would add satura-j^^a point had been reached as I'eg-'ppn cost of transport. The district lWst: make up its mind as to whieli of transport it desired as the raih;|^i]' could not continue indefinitely 011 WK present hasis. f Hg| The two other niembers 1 . board, Sir James Gunson and tfipJ Edward Newman, also addresseJ^^a: meeting along similar lines. ,®||SI In concluding the meeting) Culloch stated he felt certain l-|Ba( present would respond, and tlial|^P/ gathering would go out and a^j|re the policy of co-operation.