PALMERSTON N. DEVIATION DEFINITELY SUSPENDED.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3932, 18 April 1929, Page 3

PALMERSTON N. DEVIATION DEFINITELY SUSPENDED.

PRIME MINISTER MAKES STATEMENT. The Government lias decided to susipend work on the Palmerston N. Railway Deviation. This statement was made iby the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) at W;elling-ton on Tuesday. In explanation, the Prime Minister stated that when the deviation was (proposed in 1924, the expenditure was suggested 'because the traffic developments at that point indicated that it would double in 12 £ years. Subsequent experience has. shown that this expectation has not been fulfilled and that crucial fact, coupled with financial considerations, has determined the Government in deciding to suspend the work. # AN UNNECESSARY PROJECT. HUGE WASTE OF PUBLIC MONEY. The Government can certainly be commended for its courage in grappling with such ill-advised schemes as the Palmerston N. railway deviation and its decision to suspend work, even at the present stage, is a complete vindication of the arguments put forward in 1924 and 1925 by those who opposed the costly and extravagant schemes sponsored by the Government of that day. The very reasons now given for the cessation of the project were advanced very forcibly then. It was. strongly represented that the growth of motor traction would undoubtedly slow up the rate of railway traffic devsoplment, and the enormous cost involved was frequently stressed. Unfortunately a sum of £200,090 has now . been spent on the cuttings and 'preparatory work at Palmerston, out of the £600,000 the scheme was estimated tp cost. This will, of course, be so much dead weight added to the burden of the State debt, and it throws into greater relief the determination of the present Government to call a halt to all futile and extravagant public works.