SOUTH ISLAND TRUNK RAILWAY.

Bush Advocate, Volume XXI, Issue 64, 14 September 1908, Page 5

SOUTH ISLAND TRUNK RAILWAY.

A BIG -DEPUTATION

[press association.] WELLINGTON, to-diiy

A large deputa/tionj . numbering from 30 t6 ;i ""40," represent inj> o\-:iy local body between Picton and Canterbury, and inc v hiding several Canterbury M.P.'s, ;\vjbitett on. ;tho fanner to urge the completion « / the South Island main trunk line.

A large number, of those present spoke, urging that now the North Island trunk line was completed, the Government should. put a large vote, sky £200,000 a year for five years, on the estimates to finish tho line.

Sir Joseph Ward, in reply, admitted tho influential nature of the deputation, but held out no hopes that such an amount as that mentioned •could be devoted to this work. The votes wore already allocated for the year, and he recommended them to avfait the Public Works Statement. The demands for railways at this moment amounted to twelve millions sterling, which was qiiite out of the question. There were 17 or 18 lines still to be completed, and they must have first consideration. The whole country could not be kept waiting for the completion of one big line, but when these were out of the way there would be more money available for this line. ' -r ■"■■■■'■• r