RAILWAY BUILDING.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 179, 28 July 1917, Page 10

RAILWAY BUILDING.

L&.BOTTR NOT AVAILABLE. MAIN TRUNK AND BAY OF PLENTY LINES. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Friday. A' deputation representing the Ohura County and Taumarunui borough was introduced to the Public Works Minister to-day by Mr. Jennings. The deputation, ■which was supported by several members of the Auckland district, urged the Hon. W. Fraser to speed up construction of the eastern end of the Main Trunk line between Stratford and Ongarue. It was urged that if the Okahukura tunnel bridge, in close proximity, were completed it would enable settlers in the district to take the ballast train, and after that the Public Works .rainline to Matiere. The Minister, in the course of Wβ reply, said that the difficulty was not a. question of money, but a question of obtaining necessary labour. He had been compelled, for this reason, to ask Cabinet not to insist on contractors fulfilling their contracts.

Mr. Young said that one gentleman in Hamilton lost over £4,000.

The Minister added that the labour trouble had also been experienced in regard to the Waihi-Tauranga railway, and as there were only twenty men available for work on that line it was not possible to keep an engineer and a staff for that particular work. Men had been advertised for, but no one single application had been received. As soon as he could obtain the necessary labour the ■work advocated by the deputation would be commenced.