TRUNK RAILWAYS COMPLETION

Hokitika Guardian, 6 December 1928, Page 3

TRUNK RAILWAYS COMPLETION

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RELIEF OR UNEMPLOYMENT

WKLDIXCTOX. I>ee. I

Tin 1 statement lims Ikt'ii freely <•>r eiilaled that Sir Jospcli \\':tr<l iiiton*ln in iiiLroflme* a Preferential Yotiii? Hill I. Is is so'sion. antii ipat ine the s’! j > nort nt' (Ik* Labour Party. It. is vary unlikely that there will .Ik* ;;iiv Icyishition ol’ tlu kind. In any cas<> Lab mr will emphatically oppose (lie preferential -vstem.

i\! i .M’Oomhs staled dial tin* pa'rtv would stonewall for a week if necessary to prevent tin* Jivtssa.nc of (lie liill. The party stands foi* pronor--1 ioio’l repre.seiifa-'l ion. and nothing

W’liat Sir Joseph Ward may do is to seel-; authority to borrow on shortdated debentures in anticipation of

' is main scheme with the intention of start'iin; work on main trunk railways with a minimum of delay. d" is anxious to do what is possible to bring unemployment to a full stop, and will pot further railway works in hand immediately. This would involve .strong) hening die engineering .staff--of the Puiblie Works Department: and completing surveys not yet made in detail. lie ■>e>k'-s no 'Terek of bis anxiety to get ahead with tliis scheme so that uneeniloymen I may be reduced to a minimum before the winter. It is expected that he will make a .statement on this subject when he meets the Mouse after the formation of his j\linistrv.

The culdect is of suer in I interest to Canterbury and iMarlborougli, because the trunk line to T’leiilieim is one oi the first works in this scheme. Other lines specially mentioned are—Xanier(lisborno, which Sir Joseph Ward, nripr to the ('lection, declared should In* 'completed within four years, and Sirn,tford-Ouap;riie, to be completed in two years, while the South Island Main Trunk would he completed within three years.,. lie indicated that the* work would be done? by contract and that there are firms prepared to accept Xew Zealand bonds in payment.