"NATIONAL NECESSITIES."

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9180, 1 September 1908, Page 6

"NATIONAL NECESSITIES."

RAILWAYS WANTED. BY TELEGKAPH —PUESS ASSOCIATION. WELLINGTON, August 31. A deputation, comprising the Auckland members of Parliament and about twenty representatives of local interests in the Auckland district, waited on the Minister of Public Works (Hon. W. Hall-Jones) today, urging the speedy construction of the North Auckland, On K aruhe, Stratford and Auckland-Gisborne railway lines. They asked for a vote of £IOO,OOO to extend the Helensville northward line to Maungaturoto, and a vote for further survey. The Gisbo;ne or East Coast line was put forward as a national work, and the deputation favoured a route via Opotiki, Whakatane, Tauranga, Waihi and Paeroa to Auckland, which would tap the great Piako swamp land. In reply, the Minister said tho deputation had mentioned six separate lines. He agreed that a great deal of work remained to be done in the Auckland province. The most important work urged was the North Auckland main trunk, but when the deputation asked for £IOO,OOO he would remind them that the North Island main trunk line was not yet completed. As to the extension to Maungaturoto the Government cculd increase the number of men employed on the line now if men were available. There would be a vote for that line that would satisfy him (the Minister), though it would probably not satisfy the deputation. He hoped to see a larger vote for the Gisborne line, but exhaustive surveys as to the best route had yet to be made as soon as an officer was available he would have a trial survey made of the Kavvhia line. Nothing could be ( done regarding the Stratford-Onga-ruhe line till the surveyor's report on it wa« available.-'*'' The Wharigarei - Kawakawa line should be pushed on, also northern surveys. Mr Hall-Jones took occasion to deny that the railway fares in New Zealand were higher than those in the Commonwealth, and quoted figures in support of his argument.