RAILWAY POLICY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 90, 16 April 1913, Page 8

RAILWAY POLICY.

THE MINISTER'S TOUR.

(By Telegraph —Own Correspondent.)

CHRISTCHURCH, Tuc_u.it

! Tlie Hon. W. H. Hemes (Minister of Railways) arrived from Wellington yesterday, and wont straight through " to Duncdin by tli<; first express on whn.t will ho a comprehensive tour of South Mland lino?. "flic -Minister will so on to Invereargill, and visit all the Southern lines before returning Xortli. "JJo," said the Minister, "X cannot give you the name of the new Manager of Railways, and do not think anybody else can." He remarked that 'the "matter ! would he dealt with presently by Cabinet. Mr. Herries declined to talk railway revenues until .the full figures were available for the year. Questioned regarding improvements at I.yttelton and J Christchurch, he indicated* that what was going on in the way of new work was par! of a large scheme which would ineludc the removal of the locomotive shed lo I.inwood, but how far it would be carried was a matter of getting sufficient J money. '•A new railway station at Lyttelton?"' The Minister laughed,.and asked where the money was to come from, but he did ! not deny that the possibility hart been i considered. He laughed again when a, sug-1 ge.stion was put to him that Christchurch should have a. new railway station, ran his eye along the almost endless extent of the long Christchurch platform, and remarked pleasantly that Chrietchurch' required very little in the way of Government expenditure. On the subject of light lines, the Minister refused to speak, emphasising the fact that the matter was one for the Public Works Department. On the prospects of the Wainu extension, the route of which he will inspect soon, lie was also silent. He said that the Department had a very full programme in regard to rolling stock of every kind. The curtailment of the increase of services was another matter on which the Minister was not very communicative. He was not prepared -to forecast any important changes iif South Island services. "That is a matter 1 have come down to go into," he said, "but I think that during the financial year we have been giving great facilities to the people, especially in suburban services. I speak particularly of the North. 1 expect," he. added, with a siuile. "I will get some deputations before I leave the South Island."