RAILWAY WORKS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 286, 27 August 1920, Page 8

RAILWAY WORKS

AUCKLAND'S BIG SHARE

MEMBERS COMPLAIN

A fairer distribution of expenditure (in public works was askod for by Dr. Newman in tho House of yesterday. _ Thero were H branch railway lines in tho Auokland province, and nine in all the rest of New Zealand. On railway works in Auckland there were 1150 men employed and only 950 men m all the rest of New Zealand. There wai too much preference being shown lor Auckland,, and something moro should be dojjo for tho rest of New Zealand. He did not wish to 6«e Auckland'stagnate, but it was not fair that Auckland should get all the plums out of the pudding. .-There were other lines in oth-r parts of New Zealand which were very sorely need«d. The most pressing nwd of Wellington at present was better access to the Wairarapa, and there need be no delays about fixing tho route and making a beginning with the work. The deviation of the Manawatu line was important, and thero were one or two little branch lines crawling along *t n snail's pace. He asked for better pro vision for works in Wellington/ Mr. E. M'Callum (Wairau) asked for more vigorous pushing forward of f he South Island Main Trunk railway. Mr. d. Forbes (Harunui) had something to say about the predominance of Auckland representatives in the Cabinet. "Don't let us forget that -there is a tail to New , Zealand—Wellington province and the South Island." said Mr. Forbes. He hoped for great thintts from the new Minister of Public Works. He hoped, also, to see the Government pay some attention to one of tho planks of the Reform platform, by.putting local government finance on'a sound" footing and abolishing the "wasteful and unsatisfnctorv system of Parliamentary grants." 'The Hon. A. Ngata (Eastern Maori) objected to the expenditure _of - money nn railway deviations In districts already well served. Deviations could wait until the East Coast railway had be°n put through. „ ... _ Mr. Mitchell (Wellington South): Wo support yen. ~., miMr. Ngata: "Yes-wo are the tail. The only thing we have to thank the Wellington Progress League for is its interest in WaiknTemoana. Tou nro interested in Waikaremoana because you cannot eet enough power from Mangahao" Mr. Ngata assured the House that tho East Ccast had all tho elbow room remaining in New Zealand. The opening m> of the district behind Gisborne and Tauranga was the most important and most profitable task the Government could undertake. Mr. Mitchell assured the member for Eastern Maori that the Wellington Progress Leaime regarded tho East Coast railway as the most important lino on its schedule. The league appreciated fullv the importance of the development of the country districts. He proceeded to ask for the Rimutakft and Paek-aka-riki deviations, nnd for a new railway •fltetion in Wellington. The station was hung up because somo reclamation r,ad to be done, but apparently no move was b Sir William Hemes: The Harbour B<Mird has not'annroved the plans yet. Mr. Luke (Wellington North): The nlfinn were approved months ago T>y the Harbour Board, the City Council, and the' Eailwav Department. ■ Mr O. Hawken (E.emont) asked the Government to maintain its policy. of buildiw? roads and railways _ first where the buildinir of them would increase production. Ho did not agree, that n new railway station at Wellington, pr deviations of tho Wairarapa or Manawatu lines, would increase production. But he knew of other lines which ought to lie built, and which would at once increase . production. He 'named the Ommako railway, as among these. J. lie Taxannki peoDlo would long ago have built 'this railway for themselves if the system permitted, but at «wHjttta was impossible. . Tor the last henty vears Tnranaki bad been penalised for jti'clc of this railway. One part of the district was onyine as much as 30s, a ton in road freight! , , Mr A. P. M'Lcod (Wairarana) agreed that the East Coast district offered vast possibilities of develonment. But no thought that much of the land. European and Native, should be held in smaller blocks before the Government provided the railways and roads. He stressed the importance of the Eimutaka deviation, .and mentioned the Featherston-Martm-borougli line, which had been held over during the war, but was just as necessary nnd just as prospectively profitable Mr G. Sykes (Masterton) also pressed for the earlv undertaking of the Eimutaka deviation. He did not favour the suggestion that because there were n number of Auckland members m the Cabinet Auckland was Betting an unfair share of public expenditure. Mr W. H. Field (Otaki) expressed his lwli'ef in the prood faith of the Minister of Public Works, and in his desire nnd his ability, to hold the balance evenly. He strongly dissented from the view ' that bofore. any of the needs of settled districts could be'met. the needs of back country districts should b" supplied. He referred to the Biniutnka deviation and tho Pnekakariki deviation as works of national, rnthor than local, .concern. Nor did h'e agree that the coustruction of Fmsr works would not ndd to the productiveness of tho districts served. . _ , ~r .Tho Minister of Public Works (Mr. Coates) said that he did not think tlmt the complaint that tho north was bein« favoured at the expense-of the rest of the counry was made seriously. He believed tWt rneirfbers were fair enough to give the Government credit for fairness m this matter. It was- a fact'that most public works had been done in the Worth Island in recent years, but this was to bo "expected owing to tho phenomenal increase in population nnd in development in the north.- There were from 300,000 to ■(00,000 more people in the. Aorth Island than in the Southi Island, whereas the South Island had still about 400 more miles of railways than the North Island.

THE D 3 LIST

UNAVOIDABLY DELATED. . The members of the Railway Service are always most anxious to obtain the D.l List which gives the classification and salary of every member of the service. For most of them thto publication of this list is an intimation of how much back pay they are to receive as from the beginning of the financial year from which date promotion always date.. This year there is a Ba hrajs Amendment Bill to come down'before, the list can be prepared, and the list is unduly delayed n consequence. Mr. Sidey asked ho Prime Minister in to House yes er. l"v when the Bill was to bo expected. Mr fesey replied that he was afraid „e would notbe able tc»^/™ n Bill for some weeks, Ilm Jim »as in nent in the hands of the law draftsman but pressure of business would Went its U* completed than three or four weeks. Ho was anxi n , fi to Kot the Bill through Parliament. tecauVl o did not wish to delay aw further than was necessary the publication of tho D 3 List.

MEMBERS' QUESTIONS

Mr Hudson (Motueka) in asMnR the v w of the excessive freights . eni "£" fc Brilisli'BhippinK companies for fniit he will do what he ran to en"ln voluntary Wfiemcnt betwe n iruitßrowew and importers to, s* cure full ciw> both, ways for A ~ n PP ng havinjr the adjantaw of ra ■ war rebate under the Jones law, with he obect of fißhtii,* the, excessive.rates charged by tho British ring amij the Fame time opening up .the Amencan m "[r ke Wilford (Hutt) is asking the Min-iste-of Hallways. "Whether he realises that the residents of the lower Htilt and Petono are allowed to purchase weekv workers' tickets at 2s .per week if they catch a train not later than 7.00 „m' whereas any persons loimng a train after this hour have to par 4s. Gd per week; and whether he will institute an all-round' 2«. a week ticket up till 8.30 a.m. from these suburbs. A large number of girls and youths >who iro omployed in duties where work com. nwnces at 8.30 a.m. and 9 a.m. and who are earning small wages are severely ponalised under the. present conditions.