MIDLAND RAILWAY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1545, 29 August 1905, Page 2

MIDLAND RAILWAY.

PREMIER’S FAVORABLE REPLY,

CONTRACT SYSTEM.

Pec Pr#as Association. Wellington, lost nighi

A largo and thoroughly representative deputation from Canterbury and the West Coast waited on the Premier this afternoon to urge upon the Government the necessity for pushing on with the completion of the Midland railway, and in particular the advisablenesa of letting a contraot for the completion of the summit tunnel. In his reply, Mr Seddon said it was a misfortune that the Midland line had been given into the hands of a private company, for if it bad been kept under the publio works policy initiated by Sir Julius Vogel it would have been constructed yearß ago. He admitted that the arguments iu favor of completing the line were overwhelming, and agreed that the work ought to be gone on with more expeditiously. Preparations had been made for calling for tenders for the tunnel, whioh would be about five miles in length, and Government thought was a class of work that should bo let as a whole by contraot. Taking into consideration the email expenditure on the Midland lino in the past, compared with the outlay on the Otago Central and North Island Main Trunk lines, he did not think the moat fastidious could complain if there was a little more for tho Midland line this year. If the tunnel waa finished within the next six years it, would be about as much ns oould be done. Ho believed when the line was completed it would be one of the best paying sections in the colony. »