RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION POLICY.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 June 1921, Page 4

RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION POLICY.

In spite of every effort that has been made to induce the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. J. G. Coates) to allow the construction work of the Stratford —Main Trunk line to be carried on from Tahora towards the eastern end, he has remained adamant in his determination to hold, up the line at Tahora. As a contrast to this inexplicable and unreasonable action, the Minister, during his recent visit to Napier, expressed his determination to proceed with the construction of the Napier end of the East Coast railway as quickly as possible, as he “wanted to make it a paying proposition as soon as possible.” It is impossible to reconcile this- fast and loose policy. If there is one line that calls for completion as soon as possible in order to be a good paying proposition it is the Stratford—Main Trunk line. If the prospects of these respective railways are compared, the East Coast line is entirely out of the running; yet the Minister is prepared to move men from the farther end of that line in order to concentrate on the Napier end. Apparently this process obsesses Mr. Coates, for he has adopted the same policy as to the Stratford line, stopping progress at a most important point in order to expedite t 4 he Auckland end. The completion of this Stratford railway from end to end is urgently required, as it serves a district that will speedily make the line pay. Moreover, it-, would considerably relieve the work on the Auckland—Wellington line, with which it is to be linked up. Taranaki has not caught the Cabinet’s eye, and has to suffer accordingly, \hile Napier basks in the sunshine of tneir favor. There is only one proper principle that should govern these matters—the fundamental principle of political economy the greatest good for the largest number. ( It was hoped Mr. Coates world be actuated by'this principle. It is not too late for him to do justice to Taranaki as well as to Hawke’s Bay.