The Hokitika Guardian WEDNESDAY, NOV. 2nd, 1921.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 November 1921, Page 2

The Hokitika Guardian WEDNESDAY, NOV. 2nd, 1921.

R A 11. W A Y t ONSTK IiC'TION. ATn h ivo not the least objection to the Canterbury and llarlbot'iyigh Progress .Leagues urging upon the Government the grunt national importance and tin’ vast local advantages of the early completion of thy South Island Trunk Railway. On the contrary, wo hoflrtly welcome the efforts tfie.se bin lieu arc making to impre* upon tbs l’riniu Minister, who happens to be Minister of Finance, and the Minister uf Public Works, the need for spanning live gup which now separates Canter-1 bury from Marlborough and diverts practically all the traffic between the two provinces to the sea route. Rut we trust that our Canterbury and Marlborough friends arc not going to lessen their interest in the Fast and \Yi*t Coast line, which moans so much not only to our immediate neighbours

but also, in a truly national sense, to the whole Dominion. A rumour <s abroad to the effect that Hie Government will include in its ‘‘economy measures a drastic ’cut in public works e.xpeiidtiirtt. alid with this in view it will he well to remember that it would be ipiite natural for Mr Massey and his colleagues to interpret any lack of local activity into a lack of local interest. It is incrodable that the Government, having carried the Fast and West. Coast line so nearly to completion, will delay the opening ol this great connecting link by a single dnv longer than is absolutely ncccsty ary: but Canterbury and tbe West Coast as tbe two districts most closely concerned, must not allow their confidence in the good faith of those in authority to lull them into a false sense of security A new generation lias grown up to middle age since this undertaking was first launched, and dining the passing years its progress lias been impeded by a great load of I istless iml i Here nee and ill-info rilled disapproval. Hut one thing that otigbl fo weigh in this matter is the importance of turning th,. millions that have been invested in this railway to profitable aceoiini. The cost of the line already lias been more than doubled by the tedious method of its construction, intnrest piling iin year after year without any adequate return being made, and this drain upon the resources of the country will go on till the stream of traffic waiting development nil both sides of the “divide” is running froln racist to coast. The people immediately interested in the connection are doing a good service to the whole country by hastening its completion along.