NEW RAILWAYS.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 November 1920, Page 5

NEW RAILWAYS.

~ DELAY IN TARANAKI, COMPLETION IN 1922. MINISTER'S LATEST PROMISE. - (By Wire.—Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, Last Night. Speaking in tho House of Representatives in regard to public works, the Hon. J. (J. Coates (Minister of Public Works) said members had said much, about various railways. What lines would they propose that lie should stop?

Members: None. He could assure the House that he was going to concentrate effort on five of the lines mentioned in the estimates —the Kaihui extension, the Whangarei branch, the Waiuku branoh, the line to Tahora, and the Otago Central (Cromwell section) would be completed by March next, and would then be out of tho Department's hands. The Waipu branch was being stopped, and the Waimate branch was being stopped. He would query the Huntly line, but had counted it as a line to be stopped. When these three lines had been stopped, and when the five lines likely to be completed within the present financial year were out of hand, there would be ten lines still under construction, as follows: North Auckland main 'trunk, East Coast main trunk, Waihi to Napier, Midland railway (including the Otira line and the Westport-Murchison line), Stratford to Main Trunk line, Waikokowu branch, Waikokopu branch, Manaia branch. Grey mouth-Point Elizabeth Hue, and the Orepuki-Waiau extension

The Minister said he hoped to have the Waikokowai branch and the Grey-mouth-Point Elizabeth line, which led to coalfields, completed within two years. Tne Manaia branoh (Opunake line) was to be completed in 1922. The Waikokopu branch and the Ohura section of the Stratford to Main Trunk line would also be completed in 1922. The position then was, that at the end of two years he hoped to be in a position to concentrate on the following objectives: (1) Midland railway; (2) East Coast main trunk; (3) North Auckland main trunk. He did not wish to be understood t as placing these lines in the order of their importance. They were three trunk lines on which the Department probably would find its efforts concentrated in the very near fnture when the small lines ho had mentioned were out of the wav.

Mr. J. R. Hamilton (Awarua). suggested, in connection with the Public Works Estimates, that authority should be given for the expenditure of the various grants without delay in order that the local bodies might "get the works done in the good weather and have them off the books before March 31 next. The Minister replied that authorities covering a total sum of about £557,000 were at-present in the hands of local bodies and district engineers throughout New Zealand. The attitude he was taking up was that the authorities now on issue must be cleaned up before new authorities were issued. If there were special circumstances connected with any vote on the estimates he would be pleased to consider the case. If he proceeded to issue authorities fori the £OOO,OOO on the estimates, in addition to the £557,000 now on issue, the Department and the Minister for Finance would not know what was the position. He wished it to be understood distinctly that the authorities already issued should be spent. It happened sometimes that a local body received an authority for a subsidy of, say £SOO. It did not feel inclined to proceed with the work and it held the authority indefinitely, perhaps for a year or two years. That was not a businesslike arrangement. ' The money must be spent or the authority would be cancelled and a fresh start made. Then the Minister for Finance would know what were the liabilities. The authorities now on issue must be cleaned up. He was going to send out a circular to local bodies and members jf Parliament on this point. "Let me know the order of urgency, and I shall be very pleased to issue authorities for the old grants and the new ones," added the Minister.

EARLY MORNING DEBATE ALL THE VOTES PASSED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Oct. 30. After the telegraph office closed this morning the debate on the Public Works Statement was continued. The Minister rose to reply at 3.15 a.m. In .the course of his speech he said it wa3 unfortunate, perhaps, that he came from Auckland, but he hoped he had a mind open enough to see matters .broadly, and his own anxiety was to make lines which would promote the greatest development and help the people to pay taxation to meet the country's needs. Mr Coates gave instances of the increased cost of materials necessary for Public Works, which meant that, though there was more money on the Estimates, it did not follow that they were going to get more work done. Labor, also, was an important factor, and, in order to complete his programme, he would require from 700 to 1000 more men within two years, and the Minister of Finance would require to provide £3,000,000 yearly to keep pace with the progress of work. To carry out the hydro-electric works contemplated would absorb from £l7ooft--000 to £20,000,000, which would'give some idea of the magnitude of the task before them. During the recess he hoped to visit various districts and judge of the importance of the respective works on the spot ■ The House went info committee at :U;> a.m. and the whole of the votes were passed in ten minutes. The House rose at 4 a.m.