“Better Times Ahead”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 316, 29 March 1928, Page 1

“Better Times Ahead”

MR. COATES OPTIMISTIC OPENING OF EAST COAST LINE “We can look forward definitely to better things and better times.” said the Prime Minister, Mr. J. G. Coates, speaking at the official luncheon following the opening of the East Coast Main Trunk Railway yesterday. "We have new hopes, fresh anticipations, and a new vision for the future.” Those remarks did not apply to Tauranga only, whose residents had every occasion to look forward with confidence to the future, said Mr. Coates, but also to the people of the Dominion and the British Empire as a whole. The luncheon was presided over by Mr. R. King, chairman of the Tauranga County Council, who was also chairman of the celebration committee, and there was a large and representative attendance. Apologies were received from the Hon. R. McKenzie, who was Minister for Public Works when the first sod w r as turned at Tauranga in 1907, and from Sir Maul Pomare and others. “We do not hear so much about my Jeremiah friends lately,” added Mr. Coates, "but they sometimes raise their voices to assure us that the country Is steadily going down.” He would remind them that for the 11 months of the year, instead of the trade balance being adverse, exports were greatly in excess of imports, while, in additlofi. the exports of lamb, mutton, beef, butter, cheese and cereals were exceeding all previous records. This satisfactory position was due not solely to the activities of the primary producers, as some people imagined, but was contributed to by every man and woman in the country. Referring to the contract completed by Sr W. G. Armstrong-Whitworth and Company, Ltd., on the sector west of \ Tauranga, Mr. Coates said the Government fully sympathised with the great difficulties they had to face. Nevertheless they had not complained and had carried out the contract without a murmur. He thanked them publicly for the manner in which they bad co-operated with and assisted the department. BETTER TIMETABLE In reply to the toast of the Minister of Public Works, moved by the chairman, Mr. Williams said he could accept no praise for the line. It was due to his predecessor and to the excellent officers of the Public Works Department. He asked the residents to bear in mind that the present timetable, over which some dissatisfaction had been expressed, was not permanent. The Public Works Department still had ballasting work to do on both sides of Tauranga. and the work had to be done. To increase the service at present would seriously hamper that work, but as soon as it was completed the service would be reorgan sed.