NORTHERN NEEDS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 318, 7 December 1910, Page 5

NORTHERN NEEDS.

ROADS AND RAILWAYS. Speaking during the debate on the Public Works Statement on Friday, Mr Massey asked the Minister to state the particulars of the expenditure of the £30,000 to £35,000, which was voted annually for the upkeep of main roads. He urged that the local bodies south of Auckland needed assistance in keeping up the main south road. He also contended that the construction of the Ongarue-Stratford railway from the northern end should be commenced. It would pay from the beginning, as it would go through good country. The East Coast line should be gone on with, and he hoped the Minister would be able to contradict the rumour that the work was to stop at Motu.

Hon. R. McKenzie: I have contradicted it half a dozen times.

Mr Massey next urged the construction of a short piece of line from Paeroa on the main line at or near Pokeno. This was really part of the East Coast line, and would greatly shorten the transit between Auckland and Thames.

In reply, the Prime Minister asked how Mr Massey wanted the money cor the Stratford line allocated.

Mr Massey: £50,000 at either end

Sir Joseph Ward said that at the present rate the line would be finished in less than five years. In two and a half years 30 miles of continuous line would be finished. The balance could be put in from both ends. If Mr Massey's scheme were adopted the people would not get full use of the line as it was completed. The policy in vogue was a sensible one. As regards the East Coast line he had never heard that it was intended to stop at Motu.

Mr Hogg strongly condemned the methods pursued in settling the King Country, on the ground that there should have been more close settlement. The Koads Department, he further complained, was being starved.

Hon. R. McKenzie: Spending more money than ever!

Mr Hogg said not a shilling had been spent by the Roads Department in his district during the last year, and other members could make the same complaint. The Government could find millions for a Dreadnought, and for those mountebanks, as he would call them, who were to come from England to give military training, and for railways to keep members in leading strings, but could not find money for roads for the settlers.

Speaking after, Mr Jennings said he had fought his battle for the starting of the Stratford-Ongarue line at the Ongarue end, and he had been beaten. He had only now to ask that of the £IO,OOO available for road work between Whangamomona and Tongarakau Gorge a fair share should be made available for the northern portion, where the settlers were isolated during eight months of the year. Mr Glover urged the necessity for a new railway -station in the Queen City of the North. Members: What is that?

Various members hazarded shots at Whangarei and Otahuhu, while Mr Glover proceeded seriously to stress the need of a railway station at Auckland.

In reply the Hon. R. McKenzie said the line was authorised from Ongarue some years ago. He thought it would be a great mistake to start the East Coast line at the Waihi end for a year or two. To start a line at two, three or four peaces delayed it reaching a profitable point. Mr Jennings: You are working the Midland line from four points.

Mr McKenize said the line was being prosecuted at three points, because it was necessary to cut the Arthur Pass tunnel. Incidentally, Mr McKenzie remarked that there were not very many settlers at Ongarue. "You don't know what you are talking about," retorted Mr Jennings. As regards the East Coast railway Mr McKenize said it would be a year or two before it reached Motu. He had frequently denied a report to the effect that it was not proposed to go past Motu. If the vote for the Strat-" ford line were divided none of the sections would be payable until the line was finished. Mr McKenize said that £72,379 was spent in the Tau marunui electorate last year, and £104,319 the previous year. The member for Franklin complained, yet the returns showed that during the past five years £38,467 had been spent on roads in his electorate. During the last year £10,781 was spent on roads in this electorate.