A CLEAR-GUT POLICY

Gisborne Times, Volume LXI, Issue 9853, 5 November 1924, Page 6

A CLEAR-GUT POLICY

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE CIS-BURNE-SOUTJ! LINE.MR LV SNA It’S PROTEST.

Durii.'" the debate cm the I üblic Works fit-atom cut. Mr \V. J>. Lysnar (Gisborne) said he had been muc.i interested in what Mr Ban- b.ad said about tli.e Minister of I üblic Hoiks having a clear-cut policy rendering anv other form of control unnecessary. He fully agreed in the soundness of that- policy, and thought it very unfortunate that it was not loliowed. He wished to refer particularly to the G isbnnie-Napier railway. Tim public Works Estimates showed that m-ai'lv twice as much money was bein'" spent on railway improvement as on construction. Kailway improvements ail’d additions to open lines absorbed £2,225,000, while the provision for construction work was only 1 1,230,(100. ‘ This was not- right in tin- present condition of the publicfinances. The whole Dominion had -supported tlio lines of policy laid down by the Minister some years ago, but lie had departed from them. _ .Mr Coates: Not in one particular. Air Lysnar replied that the people in the districts affected by Lhe.Gis-ljoi-ne-Napier line were very disappointed with what had lnqipenfcd there. Mr Cortes: We are a year to IS months behind with our programme, 'that is all about it. Mr I, vs liar said that duplication ol existing* lines and provision of r.-ew station buildings should not proceed while construction work was not pushed on vigorously.