FROM THE GAP NORTHWARDS

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 212, 6 September 1911, Page 9

FROM THE GAP NORTHWARDS

CRITICISM AND REF.'VT. A PLEASING UNANIMITY. 05y Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter ) WELLINGTON, this day. A discussion arose in the House yesterlay among the Northern members upon the tabling of the report of the North i Auckland Railway Commission. Mr. Manlier opened up by taking the work of the Commission to task. He expressed the opinion that the Commission was such a one-sided affair that it could net .be simulated to give general satisfaction. although Ije admitted that it had done l lot of good work. The member went | on to contend that the bulk of the stock tame from the eastern side, which in every particular was, he maintained, the proper route for the railway. The railway would go away from the largest population, and what he believed to be the richest area in farms, running through big estates. Mr. Stallworthy contended that Mr. Mander stood alone in the North, outside of Whangarei, as an advocate of the line going east. The references to the bias ihown bj the Commission was, he said, unfair in the extreme, and unworthy of utterance. He himself knew nothing of rhat route the line would take until the rote was taken. Mr. Mander: The public did. Mr. Stallworthy: The public knew nothing of the sort. At the end of a long speech the member for Kaipara expressed himself as sorry that Mr. Mander was wedded to one idea | He was. Mr. Stallworthy added, unable to look at things fairly and squarely. Mr. Massey said he was strongly opposed to the placins of members of Parliament on these Commissions. He had no fault to fin,-] with the two members I who had spoken, but how was it possible for them to bf other than prejudiced!] Without reflecting on the members of Parlinrnmt or tbi Commission, he could tar tViqf tbp rppmb-rs had their minds rmoV nn nrinr to henrinu the evidence. Th- "(f-r.;.t"r should bnvc trope outeide Anel-'-Tifi for two or three, or four straight--eoir<r. impartial men. This was done when p»» route of the Main Trunk lino wm= (ler.in'on' unon. Serious mistakes j tiri'i boon mnriV in the nast bv huildip<r linn- tVo''"h nnt-o lands ivh'ph. should hni-p honn in'o Crown lands. Mr V»r""ri P—nhi= iriiiJ trns mnrlp nn bnfnre be hesrd anr An ptt""etr bad be°n made or, V r „ n A himself to shield j Vr A'Tprior for h's tni'toke in not accept- ] in" n «»fij nn the Commission. The Mavor of \vbantj-ir' , i. Hp pommented. was con- | vinced. and hp sifrped the report. The i rnembnT for Vrerlon had delayed the eon- ! stnip«inn of the railway. In ppplv the Hon. R. MeKenzie stated that it wns oarticnlarly pleasing from his point of vi»w that the report Happened to hp unanimous. Coming to the pppsnnppl of thp Commission so violently attnp'-ed. he wi«hed to point out that the iro.r"bprs were chosen for the possession of s-i-h opnlifipntions as expert business and lopnl Vnowledjro. The Orovemrprnt wa<i vpi-v careful indeed hefore deriding On t v o mpTrhors. Thp route be supported trow tho porprnenpement was the onlv one. Ion? hpfnrp tbp Commission prepared its Teport ), P recommended thp Government to neonir- nntivp land adiacent to the line. On the motion of the Minister of Pnblip Works, it wa* decided that the report should lie on the table and be Printed