SOUTHERN MAIN TRUNK.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 258, 31 October 1929, Page 13

SOUTHERN MAIN TRUNK.

SMALL SUM AUTHORISED.

MINISTER'S EXPLANATION.

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, thie day. The attention of the Minister of Public Works having been called to the small amount of money authorised for the South Island Trunk railway construction this year, the Hon. Mr- Hansom explained in the House of Eepresentatives yesterday that it was not the proportion of the amount which was so important as the spending of it. Work on this line was proceeding more expeditiously than in the past, and notwithstanding the size of the current allocation there would be no diminution in the pace at "which the work would be pushed on. Mr. H. P. Holland (Buller): How long will it take to finish Westport-Inanga-hua? The Minister replied that the estimate was three years. The Governments policy was to push on works to finality, &nd one reason why more was not voted for the Southern Main Trunk was that some systems in the course of. construc*tion could, by using extra energy and more money, be immediately brought to earning stages. Survey work had to be done, and camps established, and he was not aekingfor more money than: could be spent. It was not a question'of local conditions, but of getting thj> fullest advantage from the annual ej^enditaTe..