GOVERNMENT RAILWAY POLICY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 217, 19 October 1909, Page 3

GOVERNMENT RAILWAY POLICY.

NEW LINES MUST EARN INTEKEftI. DISTRICTS INTERESTED TO AUK* GOOD DEFICIENCIES. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Replying to a deputation, which urged the Government not to stop the coistruction of the Roxburgh railway in Otago, the Premier stated he wished to say clearly that it was not the intention of the Government to carry uui railways which were not going to pay He wanted to say this quite definitely. There was one railway in the country at the present time which was not paving, and the Government did not want to extract anything'to which they weic not entitled from the people. The Go.--ernment was prepared to recommend to Parliament that this line should be carried to Beaumont, but not to Roxburgh. This would give another opportunity to see whether the railway would pay. The people interested would br asked to pay the difference between 3 per cent, and what the railway actually earned. The people ought to make up this difference. Looking at the railway system of the country as a whole, he did not think the Government should be pressed into the position of providing railways that were gonig to pay less than three per cent. That amount was , not equal to the interest paid. Tne Government was anxious to help the people, and if the people interested in this railway had faith, and were prepared to support that faith, the Govern- i ment was- anxious to help them. Jhe j Government expected this particnlir » railway to ipay three per cent., and they 1-1 proposed to ask Parliament to mane I j such provision as would enable anyl Shortage to be made up, and the same principle would apply to any other line asked to be constructed.

After a good deal of Sir Joseph Ward said he was quite prepared to make the principle which he hao expounded apply generally. The Government would accept the responsibility for what it did. As to the suggestion that a light line of railway should be constructed, he maintained that the cost of construction in New Zealand was not excessive. If 701b rails had originally been laid down a great deal of expense would have been saved.

Further questioning did not elicit am new facts, and the deputation retired on the understanding that it would consider what the Prime Minister had said, and later on announce what determination it had come to, or advance further argument if necessary.

NORTH AUCKLAND RAILWAY.

THE QUESTION OF ROUTE. Wellington, October 18. Representatives of the East Coast section of the North Auckland Railway League waited on Ministers this morn ing to protest against the diversion of the route from the East Coast to the West Coast. During the statements of the deputation, the Minister for Public Works kept up a running comment, characterising some of the assertions as "mere guess work." When Mr. Killen said interests other than the interests of the dominion as a •whole liad been considered, the Minister said. "Are you reflecting on me?" Mr. Killen replied "No." The Minister said: "This is the see ond time vou have suggested such a thing." Mr. Killen: "I am making no insinuation at all." The Minister: "You keep your inu endoes to yourself." Sir Joseph Ward, in replying to the representation, said the request for ;. commission of inquiry required to be carefully considered. He thought memoers ought to see the country for themselves. The Government, however, was not prepared to stop the construction of railways while people quarrelled about routes, but he was prepared to hear both sides, The Minister of Public Works said the Government was only concerned in doing the best for the country as n ■whole.