SOUTHERN TRUNK

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 226, 20 June 1931, Page 6

SOUTHERN TRUNK

Investigation of Railway Project BOARD TO REPORT The first important move to be made by the newly-appointed Government Railways Board will be to carry out an Investigation into the South Island Main Trunk railway project as far as it relates to the completion of the section between Wharanul and Parnassus, a distance of 76 miles. Members of the board will leave Wellington on Wednesday to make an inspection of the cduntry through which it is proposed the line shall go. It will collect whatever new information is available, and a. report on the scheme will be prepared as soon as possible.

Statements concerning the line are solicited by the board, which stipulates thrit interested parties must place their documents in the hands of the general manager, Mr. H, H.. Sterling, before the end of this month. Beyond, the announcement that an investigation into the line Will be carried out,- the board has made no other statement on the point. Its action is taken in accordance with the power contained in the Government Railways Amendment Act of the emergency session, which enables the board to report to Parliament upon lines under construction. By its decision to make a report upon the scheme the board will reopen the question of-the Completion of the line. Under the terms of the Act it has the power to report to Parliament arid make certain recommendations, and Parliament will then decide whether any course suggested by the board shall be followed. In view of the statement by the Government that the board would have every opportunity to frame Its policy , and that it would be’ hampered, as little as possible in the conduct P.f the railways in order that it might have a fair chance of making them pay, it Is considered that whatever is recommended by the board will receive very close attention.