NEW RAILWAYS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 206, 20 August 1908, Page 2

NEW RAILWAYS.

THE 00VERNMENT'S ATTITUDE. By Telegraph.—i'ress Association. Wellington, Last Night. To-day Messrs. A. W. Hogg and R. U. Ross, M.P.'s, introduced to the Minister of Railways Messrs. John Mclutyro and James Maedonald, representing the l'ongaroa Railway League and -Mr. ,1. S. Mason (chairman of the Masterton Chamber of Commerce) to again urge the construction of a railway from Waipukurau to Pongaroa. In reply to their representations, the Minister said this was only one of the several deputations that had been asking for railways, and other people pleaded that they were in circumstances similar "to those outlined by the deputation. Tho Government's difficulty was to know where to start. With the early completion of the Main Trunk line, the Government would be able to consider which were the most urgently required. Six years ago estimates and trial sur-t veys were made of a line to travel se the country from Masterton to Pongaroa, Weber, and Danuevirke. The line I was estimated to cost £552,750, or £6107 per mile. A line via Pahiatua and Dannevirke was estimated to cost £450,303. He did not think, however, that any line through the district could lie constructed at a lesser cost than £7OOO per mile. With the amount that would be required for the Main Trunk line this year, it would not lie possible to do a great deal 'for new lines. He undertook to place, the matter before. Cabinet, and promised, if possible, to .rot one of his engineers to make a more detailed report on the probable cost of construction. If the line was going to increase the value of large estates and those estates were suitable for settlement., that aspect- of the case would have to be. taken into consideration.