NORTH ISLAND TRUNK RAILWAY.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 10704, 10 July 1900, Page 2

NORTH ISLAND TRUNK RAILWAY.

THE FINANCIAL DIFFICULTY

SUGGESTIONS BY MB J. P

MAXWELL

(Bx Telegbaph.)

(FROM OVB. SPECIAT, CORRESPONDENT.) WELLINGTON. July 9

Mr J. P. Maxwell, M.1.C.X., the wellknown ex-Commissioner of Railways, has -written a letter regartuug the diiatoruiess of the Government in pushing on tike North Island Main Trunk Railway. By way of contrast, he refers to tlie 400 miles of Che Mombasa-Victoria Railway, constructed ifficter great difficulties by British conservatives in four years. It is, he adds, ten or fifteen yeafs since the Makohine viaduct difficulty was encountered on t<iie northern trunk line, but apparently it will take one or two years more to get past that Lttle dillicuity. He states that the difficulties are more political than natural. "We have,'" 1»© continues, "ceased to be practical. Our time is occupied with isuoh. shameful proceedings us suppressing nhe Chambers of Commerce and crushing Ireedom of action, a proceeding for which the colony will make itself infamous in the eyes of tree men. The imndrods of bills and* thousands ot questions which consume the energies of Parliament, and are mostly worthless, leave little time for solid work, and we do not get it. We are drifting into v new despotism, and are given up to talking tuid legislating, neither of which, as a rule, advances us materially. The Makohine viaduct might have been built in eighteen months had we gone to America and got the work from competent manufacturers, but we are incapable of so simpler and inexpensive a solution owing to political difficulties. The co-operative plan is a political machine. It temporarily relieves small bodies of out-of-work hands, and secures votes. It deludes the public, who do not see what is going on, and at elections, carefully handled, it can secure majorities. As a political machine it is a well recognised scandal; as a. scheme of carrying on works it is a costly failure in New Zealand. The question is how can, these difficulties be overcome? Unless we can find a solution, we must continue in the impotent ways Aye have iollowed for some In Egypt, Lord Cramer was greatly harassed by the political difficulties due to the contending European powers to find means to carry out the gigantic irrigation scheme now being executed. He was not allowed to borrow; the funds annually at the disposal of the Egyptian Ckxveminent were inadequate to do the work; ithe country wanted the scheme. Lord Oromer solved the difficulty by letting the works to a. firm of contractors backed by powerful financiers, Works costing several millions were undertaken, to be paid for upon completion 'by annual payments covering interest and sinking funds extending over several years." Mr Maxwell proceeds to argue that the whole difficulty might be overcome in this wuy. (PRESS ASSOCIATION TEt,EGKAM.)

WELLINGTON, July 9.

At a full meeting of the Auckland members this afternoon, there was a discussion as to the best- action to take to press the Government to complete the North Island" Trunk Railway within the time already agreed upon, three years. Messrs Napier, Masscy, and Witheford were appointed a committee to confer with the other North Island districts, with a view of securing the .co-operation of all the North Island, members in the matter of the railway, the committee to report to the next meeting on the 16th inst. Mr Napier stated that at the

meeting he would introduce the native land question for discussion.