SOUTHERN MAIN TRUNK

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 989, 4 June 1930, Page 12

SOUTHERN MAIN TRUNK

MR. GIRLING’S WIRE FROM MR. COATES MR. E. F. HEALY’S STATEMENT Press Association BLENHEIM. Today. The following statement was made by Mr. E. F. Healy, M.P., in reply to Mr. W. J. Girling's references to the pre-election at.itude of the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates in respect to the project of completing the South Island Main Trunk railway. "In reply to Mr. Girling's statement regarding the mysterious telegram from Mr. Coates to himself about the completion of the Main Trunk line and his recent defence of Mr. Coates. I feel bound to observe that his statement will no doubt make the electors wonder where Mr. Girling himself stands in the matter of the construction and finishing of this great national undertaking. Mr. Girling states that at no time during the last election campaign did he receive a message from Mr. Coates that he would complete the South Island Main Trunk railway, nor did he make any such statement during the campaign. A copy of a local newspaper with Mr. Girling's Spring Creek speech was produced in the House and Sir Joseph Ward read word for word what Mr. Girling said there and this was that on completion of the Westport-Inangahua line he (Mr. Coates) would Immediately proceed with the completion of the Main South trunk line. STORY UNCHALLENGED “Further than that, Mr. Girling, in his last Blenheim address, actually waved the telegram or the supposed *elegram on the platform and repeated what he said at Spring Creek regarding Mr. Coates's promise. I myself later in the session, together with Mr. H. E. Holland and Mr. ID. Sullivan, read the reference made to this railway by Mr. Girling in his Spring Creek speech, as also did the Hon. H. Atmore. This has all gone unchallenged till now after an interval of 18 months. "Mr. Girling’s election secretary actually told Mr. G. C. Black, member for Motueka, and myself in company that he had read the telegram to defend Mr. Girling’s election statement -n the House, as he \va3 not there to defend himself. lon one visit to Blenheim during the session asked Mr. Girling if he could let me use this T elegram to protect his word in the House, but Mr. Girling advised me that the telegram was of such minor importance in its reference to the railway that, he had torn it up and burned it Now he advises all New Zealand where he stands. Mr. Coates is of more importance to him than our railway and he has never received any * "All I can say is that this is political effrontery. Mr. K. E. Holland, Leader of the Labour Party, made reference in Christchurch to the railway in all good faith as to Mr. Girling’s references at Spring Creek being correctly reported. I do not likt> coming into this controversy with a political opponent, but one cannot leave this remarkable departure from facts and truths as they have been understood all along to go unchallenged, especially as it affects one of the largest and most necessary undertakings in the Dominion, besides especially as Mr. Girling’s statements have been broadcast throughout New Zealand. I feel strongly that I owe it to Mr. IT. L. Holland, Mr. Sullivan, the Hon. H. Atmore and other friends of the undertaking to protect their integrity. MR. GIRLING’S STATEMENT

Speaking at Christcnurch last week the Leader of the Labour Party, Mr. H. E. Holland, in referring to railway construction matters, stated that during the last election campaign, when there was a danger of Reform losing the Wairau seat. Mr. W. J. Girling, then member for the district, announced that he had the Rt. Hon. J. G. Ccates’s authority to say that the South Island Main Trunk railway would be completed, but Reform lost the seat, and then opposed conclusion of the line. This statement was referred to Mr. Girling, who stated that at no time during the last election campaign did he receive a message from Mr. Coates that he would complete the South Main Trunk railway, nor did he make such a statement during the campaign. Reference in his addresses to Mr. Coates’s attitude toward the railway was to the effect that when Mr. Coates was speaking in the House of Representatives on railway construction he (Mr. Girling) had interjected and asked the then Prime Minister: "What about the South Island Main Trunk line?” Mr. Coates had replied that after the completion of the West-port-Inangahua line he would turn his attention to the South Island Main Trunk.

"Quite a number of members of Parliament,” said Mr. Girling, "have made statements similar to that now made by the Leader of the Labour Party, and in Justice to Mr. Coates I feel it my duty to make the position clear.”