THE STRATFORD – MAIN TRUNK LINE.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 March 1919, Page 7

THE STRATFORD - MAIN TRUNK LINE.

GREATER PROGRESS DEMANDED. (From the New Zealand Herald). The Stratford railway has suffered not only from lack of a* plan, but, like all the public works in ilie Dominion, it has been restricted to a rate of progress which is altogether uneconomic. Apparently nothing better can he hoped for in the future unless there is a change in the Ministerial direction of the Public Works Department, In his statement for 1917 Sir William J'rascr complacently referred to the progress of the line towards Tahora, where, he added, "the terminus will probably remain for some years." The Auckland end of the work is being delayed by the Okahu tunnel, and only a few days ago the Minister stated that it would take two or three years to finish the Okahn tunnel at the present rate of work. It is high time that Taranaki gave the Government to understand that it will not fall in with Sir William Eraser's plan to leave the railheads at Tahora for an undefined period. It is time Auckland showed its determination to have the Okahu tunnel finished in a period that can be measured in months, and it is incumbent on the two provinces to unite in'demanding an acceleration of construction at both ends with a view to the early completion of the railway. With the Auckland end in particular the Government is playing in the most shameless fashion. A contract for the Okahu tunnel, which is still to take two or three years to complete, was let in lf»3, to be finished in July, 1010. The original contractor gave up the work, ami it was assigned to another company. The tunnel was taken out of the new contractor's hands in June, 1017. and excavation has since been carried on by a handful of men employed by the Public Works Department." Were there a conspiracy to prevent the completion of this vital link the delays could hardly be more persistent and vexatious.

This is the brief history of the Taranaki line. It is a record of delay, of makeshift policy, and of lack of purpose and vision throughout the work. It is a record that, in the national interests, must be stopped. The new liabilities of the Dominion are so great that it becomes necessary to regard railway construction as a business, not as a political game. New Zealand cannot afford to build unprofitable lines, nor can she afford to dally with the construction of lines that will pay handsomely and will bring great agricultural wealth within reach of the settler. A national programme of railway construction must be enunciated, and in any such programme the Taranaki connection will inevitably have a foremost place. Until then the voting power of the North Island must be used to further North Island interests. The East Coast, the Taranaki, and the North Auckland railways are three upon which there should be substantial agreement throughout the North Island. None of them is a provincial line. They are all of national importance, and th« whole political influence of the North island should be" exercised in their favor regardless of party. This is the only method now available for bringing a right, perspective into public works policy, and it must be utilised until the whole system of allocating votes is chanced. Canterbury is frankly organising to squeeze the Treasury. She is prepared to use almost physical force if necessary. Let the North Island, with its larger population, take up the ehallengt and we shall see who will win.