The Daily News. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1920. A BLOW TO THE PROVINCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 November 1920, Page 4

The Daily News. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1920. A BLOW TO THE PROVINCE.

In his reply to criticism on the Public Works Statement on Saturday, the Hon. Coates made a statement whi h should be seriously pondered by Taranaki people. He said:—• ' The Waikokopu branch' and the Ohura Section of the Stratford to

Main Trunk line would be completed in 1 f>22. The position, then, was Unit; nt the end of two years he hoped to be in a. position to concentrate on the following objectives:—(l) Midland railway, (2) Kast Coast, Main Trunk, (.'!) North Auckland Main Trunk. He did not wish to be understood as placing these lines in order of importance. They were three trunk lines on which tiie Department probably would find its efforts concentrated in the very near future, when the small lines he had mentioned were out of the way. . . . Ought he to buck away at 'tlie tunnels (Taliora) for eight or ten years, or should he turn to the point where the expenditure would give a quick result'! The reasonable thing was to spend the money in carrying the line to Ohura ur perhaps a little further towards the New Plymouth side. The Minister's meaning is clear enough. The Ohura section of the Ktratford-Ohakakura line is to be concentrated upon, and it is expected it will be completed in 1022. Then other lilies—the Midland, East Coast and North Auckland—are to be proceeded with. Willi these out of the way work will be recommenced on the Tahora section. The tunnels on this section admittedly involve considerable work. The Minister says eight or ten years' work. Now, it can be seen that if Mr. Coates' policy prevails it will be up to twenty years bsfsra then? is through oommuni-

cation with (he Ohura fi'om the Taranaki side. Twenty years! Let the public think of that, and what it moans to Taranaki. The province will for twenty years'bc divorced from its own liin'erland, which is to he made in (he meantime a close preserve for Auckland. Now, what 'becomes of Mr. Coates' statements regarding concentration upon essential works first? Here is the most important unfinished Trunk railway in the Dominion being treated as a work of little moment, as of less consequence than railways in districts already well served in respect to communications. The Minister evidently does not regard tin! railway as a Trunk one. His reply to the member for Taranaki shows that. His chief anxiety is to bring in the line to Olmrn from the Auckland end. Here the "going" is tolerably easy, the country being of a rolling nature in as far as Tatu, and construction doe 3 not offer the same difficulties as at the Tahora end. As we have said on a previous occasion, there can be no objection to energetically proceeding with this end of the line. Indeed, nothing can give Taranaki people greater satisfaction, for they recognise it is in the interests of the country to push on with the work and get it completed as quickly as possible. Moreover, they regard it as a reflection upon past administrations that it Ims not heen finished long before how. It is for exactly similar reasons that Taranaki people are so concerned about the proposed cessation of work at the Tahora end. lis very difficulty is the reason why it should be persevered with, for, oil the Minister's showing, it will take eight or ten years to complete. The country can never receive a return on the expenditure incurred on the line until the two sections are joined up, nor can the | railway system he considered a satisfactory one that leaves a gap of several miles in one of the most important lines. A policy that permits of such a gap in a main arterial railway is an unsound one; so obvious is'it that one wonders it has the support of the other members of the Cabinet. Is there not something political about this extraordinary decision on the part of the Government? Settlers in the Ohura district, which is part of Taranaki province, are entitled to access to the nearest port, which is New Plymouth, instead of being compelled to rail their produce twice the distance to Auckland.