MIDLAND RAILWAY

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 54, 27 November 1930, Page 10

MIDLAND RAILWAY

Construction from Both Ends REQUEST TO MINISTER Dominiok Special Service. Nelson, November 26. Replying to a request by the Nelson Progress League that construction work on the Midland line be commenced at Inangahua so that the prosecution of the railway might proceed at both ends, the Hon. E. A. Ransom has replied regretting that at present be could not see his way to grant the request, as the amount of money at the Government’s disposal was not sufficient to enable the number of men on railway construction to be increased. The Minister added: “Also, the country between Murchison and Inangahua Junction is of a very rough and precipitous nature and it is necessary that the survey locating the centre Hue through this area should be very carefully carried out in order to keep the cost of construction as low as possible consistent with the provision of a satisfactory line from a traffic point of view. A party at present is engaged carrying out this survey, but I anticipate that it will be some considerable time before the work will be finalised. . . . I am using my best endeavours to push on with the construction of the railway to Murchison so that the earliest possible benefit may be derived from it Should any work be done at the Inangahua Junction end under the present conditions it would only menu delaying the connection to Murchison.”