INTERVIEW WITH THE MINISTER FOR PUBLIC WORKS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIII, Issue 81, 7 April 1902, Page 2

INTERVIEW WITH THE MINISTER FOR PUBLIC WORKS.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, this day. During nearly two hours' discussion with the. Minister of Public Works ■on the subject of the North Island Main Trunk railway, Mr. Napier, M.H.R., was supplied with the fullest information, the Minister being very frank. Mr. Napier urged that as upwards of „ 876,000 would be available from the Ist of April operations on the line ought to be vigorously pushed on, and the number of workmen increased to one thousand. He pointed out that the law authorised not only normal expenditure under last year's estimate, but the assets under the original North Island Trunk Railway Act were available, and advantage ought to be taken to utilise the money to proceed with the construction at a rapid pace. Mr. Napier also drew Mr. HallJones' attention to the emphatic pledge given by Sir Joseph Ward lately to the Auckland deputation that the line would be completed by June, 1904. He strongly urged the completion of the line from the North to Taumarunui, so enabling tourists to travel south via the Wanganui River by next spring. The Minister said that no one -was more anxious than himself for the speedy completion of the Trunk line so long as the money was available. He twitted Mr. Napier with being "too soon on the job," but said the senior member's vigorous personal reminder would not fail to produce beneficial results. An additional number of men would be placed on works next, week, and he hoped for a satisfactory rate of progress until the meeting of Parliament Mr Napier drew the Minister's attention to a statement in the "New Zealand Times? regarding the pending purchase of the We'llington-Mana-watu line for nearly a million sterling, and expressed the hope that before that was completed sufficient funds would be available for the completion of the North Island main line. The completion of the Trunk Line was more important than the transfer of a private line to the State. Mr Napier expresses satisfaction with the result of the interview, believing the Minister c-an be relied upon to finish the work at the due date, if the Cabinet gives him fair play re* garding finance. The heaviest work to be done is south of where the line crosses the Wanganui River, and full discretion ought to be allowed the Minister to spend most money where he thinks the longest delay is likely to occur. When the rails are laid from the north to the Wanganui River, Mr Napier says, the great Waimarino totara forest will be virtually tapped, logs being drawn to the river by bullocks, and thence railed to Auckland,