A DEBATABLE RAILWAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 124, 28 May 1929, Page 6

A DEBATABLE RAILWAY.

In view of the large amount of controrerfy that has centred round the proposed completion of the South'lsland Main Trunk, and more especially in view of the serious financial issues involved, it is to be hoped that the Prime Minister will reconsider the position carefully before coming to an absolutely irrevocable decision. No doubt Sir Joseph Ward is on strong ground when he maintains that the bridging of this gap in the Main Trunk would greatly increase the productive capacity of the whole line. We may further assume that the linking up of the northern and southern sections would tend to promote settlement in country still unoccupied, and would thus promote the ends that the foundeis of our State railway policy always had in view. But we must also take into account the competition of marine transport on the one hand and motor transport on the other; for these factors must seriously affect the solution of the problem. Moreover, though the estimated cost is moderate, the ultimate expenditure may prove to be much heavier than is now contemplated; and on the whole we think that the Prime Minister and the Minister of Railways will be well advised to collect further information these points before any decisive step is taken-.