A BALLOON LOOP

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 29 July 1929, Page 8

A BALLOON LOOP

COSTLY AUCKLAND RAILWAY ADVERSE REPORTS HUT WORK PROCEEDS An immense tracing from the Public Works Department, llluslra/ing a section of tlic new railway in Dargiiville district was introduced iifto the Addrcss-iii-Keply by the Minister of Education,' the lion.’ H.” Atniore, last week. Seeking the aid of the’Minister of Public Works to bold it up, lie asked members to follow the diagram of a balloon loop on the North Auckland railway at Kirikoupuni. It was 13 miles 56 chains long, and cost 111,059,350 to construct. A”Labour member': ‘‘Good gracious!” The-Minister: And the cost works* out at £77,320 per mile. Kirikopuni, ho explained, in reply to many questions showered by anxious members, was a little place near Dargaville, where 35 people lived. Instead of the railway cutting across to Dargavillc at the point he indicated jjn the plan, it went 23 miles around at a cost of £155,000, and then was no nearer its objective. Railway construction during the last ten years in the Whangaroi district had cost on an average £41,440 per mile, but in the rest of New Zealand 262 miles had been constructed at an average cost of £29,234 per mile. He quoted a recent report from an official source stating that unfortunately most of the work had been completed; otherwise the question of making a junction at a place called Paradise could he considered. Mr Coates: “Who is the official signing that?” “The Minister: “The hum gentleman, and any other members cun see all the documents when 1 have finished.” Mr 11. E. Holland: “Was there any official reason for making that loop?” The Minister replied that he would deal with that later, hut- ho would cay at- once that officials were against making.,it. Air Coates: “What officials? OFFICIAL REPORT IGNORED The Minister: “I can give all those details.” He went on to remark that the leader-of the Reform party was very anxious for investigation before the South Island Main Trunk was proceeded with. Did lie want investigation to see whether it would pay. and, if not, to decline to proceed with it? The House should know of the. same gentleman’s attitude towards tho North Auckland railways. He had an inquiry-into whether tiiov would pay, and when it was officially’reported that there would be considerable loss, tbc direction from the cx-Pritne Minister was “Go on with it!” ' Mr Coates: “Produce that report. Mr,Atniore: “I will not shelter'behind obscure references, but will produce all documents, proved and signed. Ho wanted an investigation; but what did he do when he got it? Disregarded it. ’ The Minister added that he realised it was the Government which had to decide its own policy, and lie felt- that but for Cook Strait the cry would have been to . connect, not Auckland with Wellington, but Auckland with Invercargill. The late Prime Minister, in regard io his North Auckland line, set up a commission to report on its prospects, but not on railway policy; subsequently Mr Coates ’admitted in public that the report- showed if the lino stopped at Kirikopuni il would result in an annual loss of £47,000; and if stopped ■at Dargaville the loss would be £77,000, plus £IO,BOO paid out of the Consolidated Fund for loss in respect of the Kaihu branch. This report was signed by, among others, Mr I'. J. Jones, late milway manager, who, as a ■ superannuated railway servant, seemed to be regarded bv the Leader of the Opposition as an infallible authority on the. South Island Main Trunk; though when head of the railways lie did not carry conviction in the same quarter. ' .-