POLITICAL NOTES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 143, 4 November 1912, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES.

THE EXD OF THE SESSIOX. (By Telegraph—Own Correspondent). Wellington, Last Xight. AVitli the passage of the Public Works Estimates on Saturday the way is now clear for the end of the session, and members should get away to their homes by Wednesday night. At all events that is* the time fixed by the Prime Minister, and there is no reason for imagining that his hopes will not be realised. All the members are sick of work, and the House is very tired. The debate on the Public Works Estimates was one of the tamest in the history of Parliament. Indeed, beyond a few references to the Midland Railway, the discussion was a pure farce. A pile of legislation will be rushed through before Wednesday. The Opposition will protest, the Government will say there lias been no driving, and in the end everybody will be happy, except perhaps the army of servants whose jobs will terminate with the exodus of members. On the whole, the House has done good work, and the new Prime Minister has acquitted 'himself really well. Once in the recess, there will be some very important appointments to be made as a result of recent legislation, but these need not be expected to be announced for some time. A COSTLY RAILWAY. "New Zealand," says the Post, ''has heard very much about Dunedin's costly railway station, and the AVellington-Hutt duplication and road, hut very little about a work which dwarfs those two oft-criticised enterprises. The record in time and money belongs to the NgahcreBlackball line of three miles, which took three years to complete at a total cost of £145,000 (including £25,000 for a bridge over the Grey river). The huge sum of £120,000 was spent on three miles of line, excluding the bridge, in 1904. After £25,000 had been expended the Minister of Public Works stated that the work could be finished for an additional £30,000. Time multiplied this estimated by four, and the £30,000 was expanded to £120,000. These facts were mentioned at a recent enquiry by a committee of the House of Representatives. The total cost of £ 145,000 was admitted foy the General Manager of Railways (Mr Ronayne).