THE WAIUKU LINE.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 1, Issue 80, 1 April 1913, Page 4

THE WAIUKU LINE.

Roads Before Railways. Looking the Position in the I Face. From some comments we have heard it would seem that a few people have misconstrued the intention of the article which appeared in Friday 'd "limes" akout ttie Waiuku s railway. What »e desired to show ?, was ihai, in our film opinion, the i, hi'p- p cf thoie who ae enthusiitti- -- cal v adv- .ating tha Waiuuu railwa> ne net to b realia d S' m? tinn 1 raukly, whei situatio 3 oi i 'is kind i ris' we piefi i, ho«e.cr unpie.- ant ii may be, t loi t iem full in the lac. snd a:c i t what is "'ritten there d rather thin to r'm t a.Jy t-iift e alorg t'T lal - r- iue allowing report from Dargair ville appears to soliOly confirm Iht a feats by 'he "Tinrs":— 0 " ii.e fi»ur a.id c.-..ail mi.hu. ljan 1 " which v»as taiscu L.t year b, the ptevious Goverinrrt h i is g t to be found by the present (lovurnmert e next year," said the Hon. V*. Fraatr, j Ministe. for Public Woik?, in the (j to rsi of a reply to a deputation, n "iherefore, 1 camot sea my wa ?, lear to give authoi ities for new moneys. In fact 1 flare rot co it." - £ Mr Fraser went on to say that !- jniications pihtid ti the fact that e th«' Loidon mun.y-lend is vould ro' ■ renew the loan, and the Government was faced with the difficulty of hav|j ing t> find the money by borrowing j it aaain. r "When I took office," continusd Mr Fraser, "I found thar the prei. vious Goverrmeut had pledged itself n to a large number of giantß, for which there was no money." He himself, he added, had been left with no money for any nea worxs that were wante . Oatofc.mmon honesty, he continued, he had given - ins f ructions for the grants pledged previous to his assuming office to be carrie.i out first. They would understand the present difficulty, which was ro light burden on the shoulders of the new Governrrent. Reptying to a deputa ion later in the evening, which ury.ed upon him the pushing i n of the work cf extending the Kaihu Hailway, Mr Fraser said that he coul.l make no promise whatever in the matter. He might as well he frank a out Ihe matter, and repeat that if there was going to be a p:nch in the supply of necessary money he was going to pinch the railways in preference to roads. The settlers wanted roads before railway, and that was the policy to which he intended to sdhere. (Applause).