RAILWAYS & ROADS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1616, 6 December 1912, Page 8

RAILWAYS & ROADS.

GOVERNMENT'S CONSTRUCTION POLICY, STATEMENT BY HOiV. W. FRASEH. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Christchurch, December 5, The Hon. W. I'rnser (Minislor for J.'nblie Works) passed through' Christohiirch to-day to attend the Imwjuot (o tho llon. Jnincs Allen at Lawrence to-morrow evening. To a "Pre-ss" reproeiilativi) he referred to tho dissatisfaction said (o exist at Cheviot owini; to tliu cessation of work at tho southern end nl' tho South. Island Main Trunk line. Air. Eraser said ho had only given offccl to his statement iii Parliament when the Public Works Statement was under discussion. Tho work had even been, continued on tlio line for a longer period than originally stated. Tho cessation of work on several other lines iu tho Dominion, was in pursuance of tho Government policy that with tho money available this, financial year less should bo spent on railway con-, struction in order that more should bo spent on roads and bridges. It was only a temporary cessation, tor tho present financial year. When ho made the nn ; nounccment in tho House, members referred to tho rich country botween Parnassus and Kuikoura, and ho had said that if tho country were as rich as it was said to be, the Government ought to acquire it before the railway was made through it, and if it wore not, then there was. no need for hurrying on with tho construction of the lino. Tho Minister was inclined to tho belief that tho statement made in regard to the probable loss on the work done on tho South Island Main Trunk between Parnassus and Leader was simply intended to induce the Government to spend additional money on the line this year. A portion of tho line referred to was put in hand before the present Government took office. Work for some of the men employed on the lino had been found on the CassBealey section of tho Midland railway. Eeferring to alleged hardships suffered by married men employed on tho South Island Main Trunk.who had sunk capital in building huts, Mr. Fraser sajd ho was afraid such, hardships wero inevitable, as permanent work could not bo guaranteed' on railway construction works Where it was customary to slacken off in the summer, months when there was plenty of country work available, and to provide work-in 'Winter when other, work ■was not so plentiful. Mr. Eraser did not know when, tho electricity from Lake Coleridge would be delivered in Christchurch. Ho was assnred by Mr. Evan Parry that the cost of tho work would not exceed the estimate. ■ . As to Arthur's Pass tunnel, nothing had been definitely settled, but Mr. Eraser ex--pected that the matter would be' gone into when Ministers reassembled in Wellington. .