RAILWAY POLICY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1394, 21 March 1912, Page 6

RAILWAY POLICY.

DISTRICT CONSTRUCTION LOANS. (By Tclcgrapli.-Prcss Association.) Christchurch, March 20. Mr. James. Allen, M.P., was prcsc.it at a social gathering- in connection with tho Waiau show last evening. .Ho spoke on tlw subject of railway construction. Apropos (ho agitation in tho district for nn extension, of tho lim> from Culverdcn to Waiau, he said if greater powers were given local bodies in regard, to. tho construction of roads rind bridges, Parliament would have more timo to deal with larger matters, such as Imperial affairs and railways. At present tho railways in New Zealand cost .214,000 a mile to build, and it was difficult to make lines pay at that rate. Lighter and serviceable construction was possible at =£3000 or £1000 a mile. He did not believe in an extensive borrowing policy, for tho reason that'depression in tho London money market would cause a serious dislocation of industrial conditions; but borrowing-must 'bo continued for the railways. They had been told that it was necessary to ' borrow fifteen millions during tho next ten or twelve years for railways. If tho Government could not prudently borrow that sum, it might permit the. people of a district to raise a loan of their own for the construction of tho lines tlioy needed, on the understanding that such railways should bo sold to the- State without goodwill. In this way tho policv of Stato ownership could bo conserved mid tho construction of necessary lines expedited. In the case of tho Waiau extension, the lino could not be built at present unless construction of the trunk lines wnsiuterruptcd, but tho district needed a line, and should bo able to build it.