BETWEEN TWO STOOLS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1022, 11 January 1911, Page 4

BETWEEN TWO STOOLS.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT IBseated.

(By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) ! Auckland, January 10. The statement made by the Hon. J. A-s Alillar, Minister for Railways, that if then committee set up to consider.the question; of the duplication of the Parnell tunnel decides "to have £30,000 or so spent m. carrying this work out, it will niean that.Auckland, will, have to go without thegoods shed," has been received with keen resentment by the members of the committee in question. ; Mr. L. J. Bagnail, Mavor of Auckland, who is chairman of the" committee, oil being asked-'for hia views on-the. Ministers statement, said it was a most improper one,, and he had. no doubt when the committee met, it would strongly-resent the ac ion -of the Minister. "There is noi. the shgnteat doubt," he said, "that it is. a very miproper thing for the Minister, .or anvone in authority, to make a statement which amounts to a threat that if the committeo having judicial powers, and vmcii l has not' yet considered tho ovidenw, arrives at a decision in favour of the.du->. nlicatioh of the tunnel, the interests Of the community will-be deliberately pre-, iudieed in- another .direction. 1 hough the Ministers statement might bo calculated to prevent-the committee from ar-. rivin" at a'u impartial decision, it will not i feel sure, affect the. deliberations of the'committee. The committee. is composed of men of "independent nana, ana will proceed to deliberate on the mattes irrespective of the Ministers'statement. I mights add that after many vexatious unci'unavoidable delays'so far. as. wo ate concerned the sub-committee has now collected practically all the evidence required, and this will.bo presented before', the committee at a meeting nest week. ,