GISBORNE-TE KARAKA RAILWAY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1434, 19 April 1905, Page 3

GISBORNE-TE KARAKA RAILWAY.

.(Now Zealand Herald.)' Speaking at the formal opening of the Gisborno-To Karaka section of tho East / Cosat railway, Mr Hall-Jono9 made tho usual statement that tho Govornmont ■ sympathised with tho railway needs of tho district, but that ovory promising lino conld not bo constructed. And why ? Tho East Coast of the Auokland province is ns negleoted as tho northern peninsula, al- i though it contains splendid country, and although a railway oonneotiug it with I Botarua and Auokland City would pay I from tho day it was opened. Mr Hall- j .. Jooeo admits that tho looal lino will bo a I paying one—and everybody knows that | ths Midland lino cannot pay for genera- I tions, if it evor does. Clearly the East I Coast is negleoted, the lino to Motu delayed, I the Kotorua connection undo indefinite, I because the Soddon Government, in which I Mr Hall-Jonos is nominally iu ohargo of I Public Works, squanders hundreds of I < thousands of pounds on notoriously un- I 1 profitable schemes in tho South, aod has j therefore no money to spend on as noto- | * riously profitable projeots in the North. I a It is aotually proposed to spend £200,000 I a yearly upon tho Midland, and tho Promior, I with his Cabinet, lends to this smaziog I h extravagance his support, although tho I business pooplo of Canterbury know thoroughly well that it will never pay I w interest. If anybody asked for £200,000 l or yearly for tho Gisborno-Botorua and other I promising coostruotions, the SeddoD IS! Administration would scoff ana suoer at I ihs request as absurd. Whioh only shows, IB' is tho country is rapidly beginning to see, I m hat a change of administration is a neces- I co > iary preliminary to any reform in railway I I" 0 onstruotion, and to aoy eoonomio expen- I ‘ iture of publio works money. I the I tho