NORTH ISLAND RAILWAYS.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14842, 6 December 1913, Page 6

NORTH ISLAND RAILWAYS.

COMMENT IN* THE HOUSE. (SPECIAL TO "THE PRESS.") WELLINGTON, December 5. Several references to railways in the North Island were made to-day during the discussion on. the Public Works Estimates. Mr Macßonald expressed regret that more provision had not been mode for the East Coast railway. The people who would be served by this railway, ho eaid, had been "isolated for about half a century, and he thought that Jarger votes should have been provided both for the Napier-Gisborae and Motu-OpotiM sections. Hβ pointed ou& that the Bay of Plenty and Gisborno electorates (two of the largest in the Dominion) contained at present only 45 miles of railway. -Whilst the East Coast line had not received, the justice that ho considered it to be ontitled to, a total of £55,000 appeared on the Estimates in regard'to six new email lines of railway which had not been authorised till last year. Before etarting any new lines, the Government should have given much more consideration to the East Coast line. There could be no question that, each mile of thi3 line would pay as it was constructed. i

Mr McCallum said that : the votes for the four lines in the Isorth. of Auckland totalled £;35,0G0. : ; : , Mr Coafces: Ridiculously small. - ; . Mr JVicOallum said that he had not been to the .district, and thereforehe was not going- to criticise the placing of these sums on the Estimates, but he could not help remarking on.tho fact that all the electorates in- the' North of Auckland were represented by- Government supporters. These .lines did not lead from one large centre' to another, although he believed they gave connexion between what was a fertile district and' the city of Auckland. ' Mr Coates: It is a very important dietrict.

Mr McCallum commented on the email sum of only £20.000 being allocated for the South Island Main Trunk line, although it was £n integral part of the ]\ram~Tnink c scheme from Auckland to Bluff. Sβ this vote with the £85.000 set apart for, the Stratford "deviation." ' Mr "Wilkinson: That is a mam Kne. Mr McCaHnm: Tt cannot be a main line; it is only a branch line.