RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION.

Bush Advocate, Volume XXI, Issue 286, 7 June 1909, Page 5

RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION.

A MINISTERIAL STATEMENT. WELLINGTON. Saturday. A deputation from the Opunako district, introduced by Mr Dive, M.P.. waited on the Prime -Minister ) to-day to urge that the. Government should proceed with the construction of a railway from Opunake to connect with the main line from Wellington to New' Plymouth. T.ho-.deputa-tion declared that the district was prepared to. guarantee any deficiency on the working of the railway up to 'Si per cent . The cost of roading the district, it was pointed out, had gone up to such an extent that recent tenders for metalling Avere ns high as £2000 per -mile, and the deputation asked that- the construction of the railway should ho commenced at an early date, as each year of delay was. a very serious matter to the district. ■ in fact, it was stated that local bodies couldv not keep the roads ■ m ..orclor with tiiei-r present revenue, although some lands wore rated as high, as 5s per acre. If the Government approved of the proposal, the local bodies were prepared to go to the settlers and ask them to guarantee 3-J- per cent, on the. estimated cost of. tho line, £153,600. ; Hie- Prime Minister, in replying to these representations, said the deputation could get no promise from the Government , to-day. . K could only be dealt with by Cabinet when considering the Public Works Statement. Ministers made no promises for railway works, as it was essential that in every case they should have the .fullest information before them. As to guaranteeing the interest on the •cost of construction of the line, the Government had already intimated that it would bring down legislation dealing with the subject. Tho Government must provide a system that would operate equally in all directions.' He did not say that thdy, should exact as high a rate as 3-J--per cent, for any line. There were many places which in future would require railways and which could reasonably expect to pay' 3? pfer cent., and ,as a railway was" a pioneering v institution, to enable people to live ..under moro reasonable conditions, it was only a, proper thing to say that they must be given time to make a reasonable return. In the legislation which the Government were bringing ■down, every consideration would bo given to tho requests of tho deputation, but the Government themselves did not know what would be necessary until they, came to deal with what was a very difficult problem, which the .. Minister for Public Works had 'been .and would be- for some time to ■com© engaged upon — the providing;, of railways within the financial limits of the Government.- Tho Government had prepared legislation to ensure that there should not be a heavy loss on lines running throxigh country that would not pay for axle grease, /There ■■had' -been instances of that kind in the Dominion, and they' wa<iited 'to prevent the possibility of its happen-ing--again. The Govprjinient did not want' to guard against good districts from the railway 'point of view, biit against districts which were hotablo to give a sufficient return' upon the cost of construction of the railway. In reply to a question," Sri- Joseph Ward re-fused to state when the. legislation would be brought down. It was prepared, ho said, and:.would bo introduced at the- proper, time. ■-. The Minister for Public Works (Hon. It. Mclvenzio) also replied . io tho deputation. The Government, ho sa.kl, wero endeavoring/ to get the maiii trunk, linos out of ■ hand, and tho policy was that if a railway w.asstaTted it .should bo finished ,as. soon as possible. • >