SOUTH ISLAND RAILWAY WORKS
The Government is resuming work on the two unfinished South Island railways fully aware that there may be “just a small debit balance” shown in the working of each. Those are the Prime Minister’s words, and it is to his credit that he does not seek to cloak probable losses. Losses, possibly heavy losses-; are likely to be the realisation of which “just a small debit balance” is the forecast; but the Government remains convinced that it is embarking upon a sound proposition. -The probable development value of the railways is considered to be more than enough to offset continual losses in operation. What, then, is this value? Or what the estimates that have been supplied to the Government? The building of the lines was stopped by a former Government because liberal estimates of the probable value of their completion did not seem to justify its cost. These estimates were published. Will Mr. Savage please consider publishing those upon which his Government now reverses the earlier decision? Here are works which are not expected to pay, and for the building of which, accordingly, the country at large will be asked to pay. In the circumstances the country is entitled to ask how much it will have to pay, and what benefits its payment is expected to provide.
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Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 228, 23 June 1936, Page 8
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221SOUTH ISLAND RAILWAY WORKS Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 228, 23 June 1936, Page 8
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