The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 3, Issue 8 (December 1, 1928)
Tauranga's Progress, and the Railway
Tauranga's Progress, and the Railway.
“If,” said Mr. H. H. Sterling, speaking at a smoke concert at Tauranga, “you regarded the Bay of Plenty line as a good investment for New Zealand, and you take into consideration the question of income and increment, then I say that the line will pay, and pay handsomely.” The General Manager went on to say that he had great faith in the Tauranga district, especially now that it was being well supplied with fertilisers. Touching on other points, he expressed his confidence that the great amount of building taking place in the cities was on sound lines, seeing that its basis was the great progress of the primary industries. The Bay of Plenty district, he said, was going to supply the wealth that would enable the commercial men of the cities to furnish the facilities that were required to develop a district not second in fertility to any other in the world. He deprecated the suggestion that there was any real line of demarcation between the interests of town and country.
The secretary of the Tauranga Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Robbins, said the growth of citrus fruits in the Bay of Plenty district was attaining such proportions that very soon there would be no need for their importation to New Zealand.