East Coast Railway.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 43119, 1 August 1907, Page 2

East Coast Railway.

ADVOCATED BY MR LAURENSON

(By Telegraph—-Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day.

Speaking in the House on the proposed East Coast railway on Tuesday afternoon, Mr Herries said that he knew of no line in the colony that would pay better than a line from Gisborne to Auckland. “ I am positive,” he said, “ that the country that would be traversed is one of the finest tracts in the colony.” The speaker referred to the large area of lands that would be opened up by the railway, which he urged would be a very profit able speculation for the State. Mr Laurenson said that he believed that this railway would pay. He had visited Gisborne recently, and he was astounded at the potentialities of the district. Gisborne was only just entering upon its period of prosperity. When he compared Gisborne’s position with the expenditure of £600,000, which they were spending on a tunnel between Canterbury and the west coast, be felt that Gisborne had the prior claim. (Hear, hear.) He said that without saying anything about the Midland railway.