DEFINITE PROGRAMME

Hokitika Guardian, 16 March 1925, Page 1

DEFINITE PROGRAMME

OliOKli OF PUBLIC WORKS. AUCKLAND, March 13. “Parliament lias limited me to an expediture of about a million a yeai for the next three .years to enable me to carry out a definite programme. I am determined that programme shall be carried out. II 1 add any other works to this programme out of their older the whole scheme will buffer.’’ So announced the Hou .1. 0. Coates this morning when requested by the Northern Suburban Railway League (Mr IT. A. Robertson, spokesman) to expedite the Morningside-Auckland tunnel scheme, so that its completion would synchronise with the-‘ Westfield deviation. The Minister added that the alternative to adding to the programme was to got a furher appropriation from Parliament-. Mr Coates added that he realised the importance of what was asked. Traffic on the northern line had exceeded the Department’s estimate. Perhaps the order of the importance of the tunnel had been underestimated. Whether the programme could be speeded up was a. matter for careful consideration. Xo work should suffer because of another being added. The Minister said that the report of the experts who had investigated the advisability of electrifying certain suburban lines had still to be received. He expected it in May. and the Mormngside deviation would be controlled quite a lot by ft. 'The deputation also asked when the duplication of the line from Morningside to New Lynn which would facilitate the sendees on the northern line would be carried out. This, it was emphasised, was part of the general scheme. Mr Coates said this was a matter for the Department to determine the necessity of.