NEW RAILWAYS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 274, 18 November 1910, Page 6

NEW RAILWAYS.

WRANGLE IN THE HOUSE.

NORTH ISLAND AUTHORISATIONS.

(By Telegraph.—Paiiiainehtary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, Thursday. When tlie Railways Authorisation Bill came down for its second reading tonight, Mr. R. B. Ross raised his voice in protest against the authorisation of the proposed line pbetween Huntly and Awaroa. There were, he contended, important works, awaiting authorisation. Mr. ■H. Greenslade said this line had been promised many years ago, and it was a most necessary public work. ,it would provide access to rich lands on the other side of the Waikato river from the Main Trunk line, and wouia also open up large areas of coal-bearing country. The construction of this bridge would mean the death-blow to the existing coal monopoly. Messrs. Hogg and Buchanan .both complained bitterly that no provision was made for the Marton-Featherston railway, while £100,000 was to be spent on the North Auckland line, which the Minister for Railways had declared would not pay axle grease. Mr. Poland said he exceedingly regretted to find that there •was no provision for carrying on the East Coast lino from the Waihi end. In 1905, when the Waihi secti'on was opened, the distinct promise had been made to push on this line towards Tauranga. When the Minister for Public Works went North last year he promised the people of this district that they would have the line started from Waihi, then when he came back to Wellington he turned i complete somersault. The Hon. B. McKenzie: That is absolutely incorrect. Mr. Poland: "I'll admit your action .vas not characteristic, but it's just what iiappened."' 'At Tauranga, continued Mr. Poland, the Minister was asked to ipptove the commencement of the East J oast line from Tauranga to Te Puke. The Minister's reply was that such a suggestion was nonsensical and could lot be countenanced, yet within three months the extension from Tauranga was authorised. The member for Ohinemuri also advocated the construction of a line from Paeroa to Pokeno. Speaking of the proposed authorisation of the Huntly-Awaroa line and bridge, Mr. Poland said he was absolutely at a loss to understand why .this line was in the bill, it was never asked for. The coal companies in the locality and the local pbodies concerned 'had offered to find £5000 towards the cost; why had that offer not been accepted? It was inconceivable that a monopoly which had put up the price of coal to the consumers by six shillings in five years should be .benefited in this way. He hoped the Minister would give a satisfactory explanation. Mr. Hemes said he much regretted that the Government gave no indication this year of its intention to push on the East Coast railway from Waihi. It was surprising to find that provision was being made for establishing railway connection (between Napier and Gisborne. He did not know what the people of Auckland were thinking about—their apathy was remarkable. The only explanation was that the Wellington people were too smart, aud wanted to tap tho Gisborne trade before connection between Poverty Bay and Auckland was established. He hoped .to hear the Minister promise .that no time was to 'be lost in pushing on the East Coast •line between Motu and Opotiki. Messrs. Dillon and Vigor Brown both replied to criticism by Taranaki members in regard to the proposed line be tween Gisborne and Napier. Mr. Jennings said he much regretted that no attempt had been made this year by the Government to provide for railway construction between Raetihi and Ohakune and Kawhia and the Main Trunk line at Otorohanga. Surveys of these lines bad been promised years ago, but there was no indication that those promises would be fulfilled, ln regard to the Stratford-Ongarue line, Mr. .Jennings said it was greatly to be deplored that no provision was to be made •this year to start the line from the On- ' garue end. The whole of the current year's vote of £ 100,000 was to be spent at Stratford. The question of whether Wellington or Auckland would capture the trade did not concern him. .Mr. Wilford: No; leave it to Gun-son. Mr. Jennings: Gunson is not so bad as he is painted. Continuing, Mr. Jennings, with very considerable warmth, spoke of the attitude of the Government in regard to this line., the Hon. W. Hall-J ones had in 1907 promised oh the floor- of the House that a start should be made from' the Ongarue end. For years the settlers in the Ohura •Valley had patiently waited for the railway to give them, an outlet. For seven months out of twelve their roads were impassable, and it was only fair that the Government should now -move in the direction of fulfilling a pro—dse made years ago-. Instead of spending the whole of this vote of £100,000 to enrich the big landholders at the Stratford end, the Government should at once proceed with the construction of the line at the On?a_ue end. He would move a resolution on the subject at a later stage. Sir Joseph Ward said that this country was about to spend £2,855,000 onpublic works. Mr. Massey: A lot of it is to be —vrown away. Sir Joseph Ward: Nothing of the kind; we are going to spend £2,855,000 in this way; yet to-night we have members getting up on the Opposition benches and asking for no less than seven new railways. Continuing, Sir Joseph said that if these requests were granted, it would necessitate an additional vote of at least a million and a-half. This request, side by side with the Opposition's oft-raised cry of extravagance, clearly indicated ppolitical 'hypocrisy. It was supremely ludicrous. They had to keep within the bounds of possibility. Mr: Jennings was asking that the vote of £ 100,000 for the Stratford-Ongarue line should he divided so as to allow the work of construction to be carried on at both ends. That policy would necessitate a still slower rate of progress on these lines. In regard to the vote for the Huntly-Awaroa railway, there had been no pressure brought to bear on the Government. The Government had never been at the point of the bayonet iby any member of the House. The statement of the Leader of the Opposition that the member for Waikato- 'had 'brought undue influence to bear on the Government was ridicuffous. The Crown owned an area of nine thousand acres of coal-bearing land on the other "side of bhe Waikato River. Had the- Government erected the bridge in conjunction with the Taupiri Company, that Company wojuld have been given a. monopoly. 4\ mote business-

like arrarigefieht had bieh; arrived at, and the Government would now erect a light line of 3A miles-of railway as well as the bridge, and allow all the coal -companies to' use .the li»_ and bnage at ordinary schedule' railway rates. There was no doubt that it would be a good business transaction.

-tl-ssrs. __ah_'er, "Glover, ahd _5. "t_. Taylor spoke in support of a progressive public works policy being pursued in the North. . ■ -, ~

The lion. A. T. Ngata also spoke on the benefits which.'Would accrue from the penetration of the East Coast districtby rail. The connection between Gisborne and Napier was not regarded as relatively of the same importance as the connection between Gisborne and the Bay of Plenty. The Hon. R. McKenzie said there had been a good deal of controversy, and Auckland members had been amongst those complaining, but the North Island had got more in votes this year than in any year since public works had been inaugurated. It would, he went on to isay, be an absolute waste of money to start the East Coast railway from the Waihi end. For about 25 miles after leaving Waihi the country was rough and unproductive, and he had come to the conclusion that it would be better to start the line at the Tauranga end. The Government was adopting a policy of constructing as the first portion that most easily ! constructed, and that which would benefit the greatest number of settlers. As to the line between Gisborne and Napier, he. said that was a line which would de- | velop a lot of traffic, and open up a great deal of country. He twitted Mr. Jennings |oh account of his railway construction i policy with having sat on the wrong side :of the House for several years. j Mr. Jennings, in a personal explana- : tion, said he should not consult the i Minister or any other member of the I House as to which side of the House ht i should occupy. The second reading was agreed to on I the voices, and the House rose at 2 »-U»