THE WAIUKU RAILWAY.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 186, 27 June 1916, Page 4

THE WAIUKU RAILWAY.

Who Was Responsible For It? Most people who have ever given thought to the matter have imagined that Mr Massey had some little say in the construction of the Waiuku railway. His supporters and inhabitants of the district through which it runs imagined that it was being built to carry out the reiterated promises of successive Governments during the last thirty years. His opponents and detractors proclaimed it an instance of Massey's shameless jobbery, and declared it was only constructed to carry away the enormous loads of ostrich feathers which Liberal tradition averred yeaily tilled the Prime Minister's collirs with ill-gotten wealth. It now appears that both praise and blame have been given to the wrong person, and the real benefactor, or culprit - choose the epithet preferred —lias at last come to bght. In a speech in the House recently, Mr A. Glover, the member for Auckland Central, said :—"lt has been stated from time to time that the Prime Minister has been responsible for the carrying out of the Waiuku railway. Sir, I am not prepared to sit still aud hear any man, whether he be my friend or my enemy, unjustly accused, aud 1 am, going to tell the House what lead to the prosecution of the Waiuku-Pukekohe line. I moved in the House some three years ago that a sum of £IO,OOO be placed on

the estimates for that work, and on tbat occasion there was not one voice raised against it. When tbe late Minister lor Public Works was sitting near me in this chamber I said to him, "Do you remember, Mr McKenzie, when we were in Waiuku, you stated that it was a railway that should be prosecuted as speedily as possible, and that there was no engineering- difficulty whatever'/ " JNow, I hope members will ceaso talking about this Waiuku railway. I take upon myself the responsibility for the work, and you can tell the people of the Domiuion that it was through me that the work was carried out; and I firmly believe that the railway will pay well. I did it, and. I take the responsibility."

An Hon. Member : Alone I did it. Mr Glover—" No ; but I was the one who moved in that direction, and the House agreed to the scheme. Unfortunately for the honourable member who has interjected, he was not a member of the House on that occasion. I hold no brief for the Eight Hon. the Prime Minister, but I am not prepared to stand by and see an honourable gentleman misrepresented or charged when he does not deserve it. As a unit I took the responsibility on my shoulders, and as a result I am prepared to say this : that railway will be one of the best-paving railways that we have ; and I express the hope that in about December next it will be open to Patumahoe, and I shall go to see it opened if I am spared."