NORTH ISLAND RAILWAYS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 77, 21 September 1911, Page 6

NORTH ISLAND RAILWAYS

A VIGOROUS DEMAND. By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. The rights of the North island in regard to railway construction found avigorous advocate at this afternoon's, meeting of the Auckland Railway League i in 'Mr. E. C. Banks, of Matamata. Mr. Banks moved—"Seeing that tbe population of the North Island is so much greater than tlmt of the South Island, and that as the North Island railways are paying so much better than those in the South Island, the Governmojit be asked- to spend £2 on the North ' Island railway for every £1 spent 011 the South Island lines, until the mileage of the railways in the North Island is equal to that in the South Island."

Mr. Banks said lie thought the population of the North Island was about 80,000 greater than that of the South Island, and the North Island had only about 1100 miles of railway, as compared with 1500 miles in the South Island, Although the North Island at present had 41 members in the House of Representatives, as against the South Island's 35, a much greater expenditure on public works was still going on in the South Island. It was, he continued, & reflection upon the North Island that its members were wiable to hold their own against the South Island. The North Auckland, East Coast and Ongarue-Strat-ford lines (for which the League is asking for votes this year tot&lling £400,000)j would, he considered, pay at least 4 per cent, on their cost, when they were finished. These works would thus be n splendid investment for the Government. He contrasted the prospects of such lines with those of the line Canterbury to the West Coast of the South Island.

Mr. A. w. Thomson, of Auckland, who' seconded .the motion, said Mr. Banks' estimate of four pe r cent, as the earning powers of the northern lines was a very moderate one. He had made a calculation of the returns from the 23 milea of line at Gisborne for a period of three or four months during the present year, and hetfound that the earnings of this section, short and isolated as it was, was at the rate of about sy s per cent, per annum. The motion was carried unanimously, AUCKLAND RAILWAY LEAGUE'S DEMANDS.

Auckland, Last Niglrt. 'At the annual meeting of the Auckland Railways League to-day, it was resolved to ask the Government to vote £200,000 this year for the North Auckland railway lines extension, £ 150,00»» for the East Coast railway, and £IOO,OW for the Ongnrue-Stratford line.