The Dominion. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1920. UNPROFITABLE DELAY

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 71, 17 December 1920, Page 6

The Dominion. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1920. UNPROFITABLE DELAY

One really satisfactory result was achieved by tho deputation which interviewed Ministers yesterday on the subject of a new railway yard in Wellington, and urged also that the routes of tho Eimutaka and Paekakariki deviations should be speedily determined. No. very explicit assurance ,was obtained that the modest requests advanced by the deputation will be granted, but in regard to tho railway yard— the most urgent of the thraT important railway works' which have so long been awaiting attention in this part of the Dominion—it waa at least made abundantly clear that there is not the slightest reason or excuse for any further delay. The Prime Minister told tho deputation that when the Government and Harbour Board engineers ba]d come to a decision in reference to' the reclamation on which ■ the new railway yard is to be located, and as soon as tho money could be found, tho work would bo gone, on with. This is as nearly as possible tho position that existed two years ago. and the details of yesterday's discussion demonstrate that the Government is responsible for the waste of time that has occurred. While the Pbime Minister, dwelt upon the necessity of reaching an agreement with the local authorities, the chairman of the Harbour Board (Mk. Harknebs) and the Mayor of Wellington (Mr. J. P. Luke) stated that their respective bodies had agreed to the Eailway Department's proposals. Mr. Luke mentioned that he had agreed long ago,that the question of compensation for city land taken over by the Department should remain in abeyance in order that the work might go on. It is apparent that any attempt to excuse further delay on account of negotiations with the local authorities would be on empty pretence. »The City Council and Harbour Board are not in any way delaying tho prosecution of the work. So far as they are concerned, it might have been put in hand some time ago, and if a start is not made upon it in tho very near future the public will know that it is held up solely because the Government does not choose that it should proceed. If tho Government's own experts and officials are still engaged in considering, preliminary details, it has full power, as a member of the deputation observed yesterday, to compel them to come to a decision quickly. Unless Ministers make good and diligent uso of their powers in this direction, the public undoubtedly will havo some awkward questions- to ask. While its relations with tho local authorities in this matter are now finally cleared up, the Government is certainly not entitled to. claim that it is justified in delaying a start on the reclamation—the first step in the total undertaking—on account of a shortage of money, labour, or, materials. In importance and urgency this work takes a foremost place amongst those the Government is called upon to carry out., in various parts of the Dominion, and it is as well entitled to a fair quota of what resources are available as any of the works on which expenditure is now being freely lavished.- In saying this, wc are not descending to parochialism, hut merely urging that the Government should aefc fairly and with a due sense of responsibility in administering the national, resources. Tho improvement of railway terminal faoilitics at Wellington is not advocated from any standpoint of narrow local interest, but.with an eye to the efficiency of railway ,

transport over a great part of the North Island. We agree heartily with the Prime Minister that pub-

lie expenditure must be concentrated to tho utmost extent possible in

districts remote from centres, which are poorly provided with rbadß and bridges and in which railways, and even telephones, are luxuries to be attained at some future date. But back-blocks settlers will suffer more than city dwellers if the improvement of railway terminal facilities at 'Wellington is further needlessly delayed. Settlers, moro than any other section of the population, are dependent upon a good and efficient railway service as one essential condition of prosperity, and on the showing of the Government's! own experts delay in providing modern terminal facilities at AVcllington threatens to lead to conditions of traffic congestion and dislocation which would seriously prejudice sottlcrs over a wide area, and not least those who already are at an extreme disadvantage in getting their produce to market and in obtaining supplies of all kinds. The case for pushing ahead with the construction of the now railway yard and completing it at the earliest possible moment was, of course,

made out long ago. The only point which needs to be emphasised at this stage is that the Government cl'earlv has the matter of expediting this great and necessary work entirely in its own hands. .