NORTH v. SOUTH

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 14 December 1916, Page 2

NORTH v. SOUTH

THE following incisive letter, received by the Northcote Borough Council last week, emphasises the need of the existence of the Auckland Railway League, who sent it, and also the advantages that will accrue from the proposed North Auckland Parliamentary Tour in January : —"The League has received a mandate from the subscribers in general meeting, to continue our organisation and to strengthen it, for an agitation, as soon as the war is over, for fair play to Auckland in the matter of Public Works expenditure. The "South Island has had £3,000,000 more spent on railways than the North.' The mileage qf railways in the South is greater than in the l^orth Island by 468 miles. In the favoured South they have the •Lake EUesmere eleGtricial installation, costing 330,000; but nothing similar in the North. The 5J4-mile Otira tunnel is being energetically pushed on, though it can never pay. Otago Central is crying out for £1,000,000 to be spent in an irrigation scheme. The North Island railway system, notwithstanding that it J\s shorter than the South- Island system, earns more money. Thus, for the two years ending 31st March, 1916, the N,orth earned £$03,349 per annum mor§ than the South. Auckland \yants to, see this expenditure on railway construction equalised by the more speedy construction of the North Auckland Main Trunk line to Mangonui; the East Coast Main Trunk line, Auckland to Gis~ borne ; and the Stratford to Main trunk line completed." The League applied to the Council for financial and general assistance. Cr. Van Veen said the scheme is a good one, but the i Coiincil h<ad no ' unauthorised j mQn^yto spend.' The letter was r'ecejyed.—rWaitemata News. ' |