Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times MONDAY, AUGUST 20, 1918. THE TWO YEARS SLOGAN.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 August 1918, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times MONDAY, AUGUST 20, 1918. THE TWO YEARS SLOGAN.

The venture of Sir William Fraser, Minister of Public Works at Arthur’s Pass last Wednesday into the realms of prophesy as to the probable date for the opening of the great tunnel for through traffic, should not be overlooked There is the idea that the prophet has very little honour in his own country, but in this instance there is a good deal of supporting evidence to justify the belief that the Hon. Minister lias not fixed an impossible time for the accomplishment of the railway union between the East and West Coasts. If the Americans had the work in hand they could finish it in two years with “one hand.” As New Zealand has two hands available for the job, let us get right into it ana finish the work. The people of. Canterbury and Westland require to raise the slogan of “two years for through traffic,” and by keeping the Government up to the mark, the great task can be performed. Sir William Fraser is pledged to do all be can to finish the work, and there is no reason whatever to doubt that lie will fall short of that promise. But it will be a great help to him to have public opinion behind him. concrete and expressive, urging and re-urging that the work be pushed to a utility point as quickly as possible. It is not asked, nor is it expected that the whole ni the works connected ' with the project case he finished in the two years, but we believe it to be fully feasible to have the line available for through traffic and usable within two years if a spurt is made and a concentrated effort is persisted in. When it was a question of finishing the North Island Main Trunk line, the Go-

vernment of the day under the direction °* '^' r William Hall Jones the then Minister of Public Works, made a special effort to secure the completion of the lin t . for through traffic by a given date. -It is a matter for recoin and fo the credit of the Minister anq his Department, that tlio work was so accelerated that flic line was used for through traffic in advance of the time first fixed. It would be a matter for congratulation ju this island if the main trunk of the trans-insiilar service could he linked up in the same rapid manner The achievement would be a feather in the cap of Sir William Fraser, just as his predecessor enjoys an abiding reputation for hustling administration in respect to the North Island work. If, at this stage, Sir William took his officers into his confidence, aiul gave the. positive instructions to go right ahead with the central idea of linking up the Coast by the summer of two years hence, the great work would be accomplished, and not at all improbably ahead of due date. Now that the country realises the profitable character of the commercial intercourse to result from the railway connection there need be no hesitancy in" making the demands on the Government. Let the slogan of “two years for through traffic’’ reverberate. along tlie Coast and echo across’ the hills to Canterbury where the influential forces there could emphasise the cry, aiul by persistency of action secure desired results. Time must not- he-lost ; jt is the essence of the contract ; and the agitation for the great achievement must not wane till there are positive signs that the much to bo desired union will come, to pass within the period suggested by Hie Minister himself.