PUBLIC WORKS

Southland Times, Issue 18839, 4 June 1920, Page 5

PUBLIC WORKS

RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION POLICY. MR COATES’ IDEAS. (Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, June 3. Questioned to-day as to what the future policy of his Department would he in regard to railway const ruct ion, the Hon. Gordon Coates said his idea was to push on with the completion of all the main lines in accordance with their national importance. He could not say for the moment which were the most important lines, nor would he make a public statement on the subject until he bad drawn up his scheme and placed it before the Cabinet. It would be for the Cabinet to decide what course would be followed. Ail he could do was to make his recommendations, and if these were varied in any way then the Government would be resfKinsiblc. Instead of constructing a whole lot of lines throughout the country, his object was to lay down a well-defined system which would ensure the speedy completion of any lines taken in hand. It would be a suicidal policy to follow the system adopted by previous Governments of starting lines in even - little nook and corner all over the country. His idea was that the main lines should be the first consideration of his Department, and then others of less importance comparatively would follow. Mr Coates mentioned that the North Auckland main trunk fine is (n be pushed on with nil speed, his idea being to get that completed as quickly as possible.