SOUTH ISLAND RAILWAY

Hokitika Guardian, 25 July 1929, Page 2

SOUTH ISLAND RAILWAY

GOING ON

NO INVESTIGATION NEEDED

PRIME MINISTER ON SOUTH ISLAND TRUNK LINE.

WELLINGTON, July 23

“We want to complete the long distance railways,” declared Sir Joseph Wurd in repeating briefly in the House to-night the railway policy of the Government/with special reference to the South Island main trunk. He pointed out that i £4.400,000 was invested in incomplete railways’ and the only way to make this productive was to link them up. This applied not only to the South ■■ Island, but to WaitaraAuckland, Gisborne-Napief and North Auckland. It would cost about ten millions to complete long distance lines.” Mr Samuel: Does that include Paeroa-Pokeno. Sir Joseph Ward: It does not. It comprises railways started. Surely, he declared, it was good business to spend ten millions to bring £4,400,009 into production. Mr Coates: Is it good business on calculations* ■ ma'de'?. '■. ■’ ’ { Sir Joseph Ward: As a, matter of fact I am prepared. to ! work ;out tlje South Island main alongside anybody-;- and I will ,undertake to say there is, not an ounceNf sense in. hot completing tnat 76 tnilpa. It will add it to’the whole South Inland trunk sys-

tern, ; , l | - j • , ' Th'e . Public W.orkft 'Department’s estimate fqr this lipeiwas £27.000 n mile,; while South Jslapd lines had cost £12,000 a ,niild,l sp that on completion of the 76-mije; gaj* |f he average cost would be 'about’ £10,009 per mile, Mr Coates: You cannot pay 18s 2d per cent. now. Sir Joseph Ward: I think the Government railway policy is a fitting subject for Parliament to spend a session on. Mr Contes: Spend a few days. Sir Joseph Ward: It wants more than a few days. The hon. gentleman always wants to get things done. ;(Lau&litcSr)i’ f j ; [[frhejjPri.m.q referred to a’ iihiUibiir;{i6|’ef>'of; iaiidv-to be served by' the rail conneciidif'it gave‘'M ; tile City of Christ-' IchTlfch'jwith over 100.000 population, and' Wellington with a similar large ijMjphlgitliiji)! as well as 18,000 people -in. Marlborough. Sortibi. people talked '.as ii the proposal wasijto make 76 miles pjf’ ’^ail^ayj^{.lij'oiyli a wilderness. He fcp.uld ,4fiis} members becoming serious if this was the case. Mr Coates: We are quite serious. W| Only • ask' for art• investigation 1 Sir Joseh Ward,: An investigation ought to take place in connection with all the railways the hon gentleman had to do with, but I am afraid his reputation would not stand it. The people of Marlborough have paid taxation for the maintenance of railways in other parts of New Zealand. To take: up the attitude that: because they .have bejeri'neglected so iohglwe should keep them out for ever is wrong.; Why this new-born zeal for investigation? Mr Coates: The people ask forifacts and figures. ;( ft Sir Joseph Ward referred to the* importance of r providing work for thousand’s ;6f men employed on railway con--; strucjjiibn, and as for this excess of zealftfor investigation it should apply to all railways. The Leader of the Opposition had committed himself during 'the election to completing the South Island main trunk after the Westport-Iriangahua line was finished. Could he deny that? Mr Coates: There was sufficient time to show the people exactly what the South Island main trunk would cost and where it would stand. Sir Joseph Ward: That would mean five or ten years more waiting. Mr Holland: It would not he finished in ten years at the rate he was going. , Sir Joseph Ward: We are pushing on with it now, also the South Island main trunk; ! The Prime Minister went on to ask why had Mr Coates not held his investigations into all these lines when in office. Mr Coates: I did. You will find a complete; report on the Gisborne line. Sir Joseph Ward: But youftwent on with it. Mr Coates: It shows 4 per cent. Sir Joseph Ward reverted to the area of land in the South Island main trunk gap, and was asked by a Labour member if he would give the House an opportunity of seeing it.

The Prime Minister, amid laughter, extended a hearty invitation to see it when the gap was completed. He could not understand people debating a railway which would bring New Zealand together. It would enable the journey between Invercargill and Auckland to he made ten hours quicker than by the best other route. It was going on. The Government had spent £40,000 and had instructed the Public Works Department to take the matter in hand as one of its principal undertakings, yet apparently for some political reason there was this sombre agitation against it. Mr R. A. Wright: What about the “Auckland Star’s” views P Sir Joseph Ward: It’s a good thing to find it occasionally keeping step by step with the “New Zealand Herald.” Mr Wright: But it is a Government paper. Sir Joseph Ward: A very good Government paper, but a paper that is consistently good to Government or Opposition. It is* advisable sometimes to show a little resentment.

The Prime Minister concluded his