THE MAIN TRUNK RAILWAY.

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 14, 17 July 1905, Page 4

THE MAIN TRUNK RAILWAY.

The Auckland and Wellington Chambers of Commerce have acted wisely in bringing the questions of the spsedy completion of the North Island Main Trunk Railway and of the early acquisition by ! tho State of the Wellington and Manawatu Company's line before the attention of the Government at an early period of the session. The North Island Main Trunk was correctly described by Mr. Duthie as the most' important line now under construction in New Zealand, and Mr. Baums, who represents the northern city and the opposite side in politics to Mr. Duthie, properly emphasised the fact that it was no longer a question between Auckland aud We-llirgton, or between North and South, but that the whole colony was interested in the speedy completion of the line, even if minor local works had to bo sucpMided in consequence. So long as Auckland remains the port of call for the most important mail service of the colony — and ithore does not seem the smallest likelihood of the San Francisco service being either discontinued or connected primarily with any other port than Auckland — tho South Island has a strong interest in making the connection with Auckland more rapid and regular. A eea route that passes over tthe Manukau bar is quite inadequate to the requirements of such a service, and the most careful management' can never make it anything else. But, apart from this question, the whole colony is directly interested in cheapening and quickening the means of communication between its extreme points, and though the Nortk Island would obviously derive a special benefit, the benefit is not one which would be p; a i ne d to the detriment of the South Island, for all parts of the colony would profit by the increased prosperity of the wholo. The tapping of a mignificent timber supply i 8i 8 not the least of tho benefits which the completion of tho line would bring about, and the present conditions of the timber market should bring homo to everybody the value of such- a boon. Wo have not the means of checking Mr. Fowld's rough estimate that some £100,000 a year must be lost to the colony in interest through the locking up of its capital in work that remains absolutely unproductive, but the loss on this head must be an enormously heavy one, and it must continue ind'efinitcly unless Ministers are made to mend their paoo. Mr. Fowids was even moro emphatic than Mi 1 . Duthie as to the promise given by the Hon. Mr. Hall-Jones in 1900 that the lino would be completed in 1904. Tha Minister, of course, denies tho promise, but whether or not it was "distinctly promised," as Mr. Fowids asserts., and our recollection inclined us to fceliove, it wv3 certainly "distinctly understood" that tho lino was to bo put through within four years. But the end is still a long way off, and Ministers uro content wiru putting a« inadequate sum upon tho Estimates year by year, and then omitting to expend all the money that is voted. The reply of Mr. Hall-Jones to the deputation was of the stereotyped official character. He was friendly and sanguine, but quite indefinite, and his satisfaction with the progress of the last five years makes it not improbable that if he is still in office he may again be explaining in ISIS that the work continue* to progress fav-

ourably, and that the end is almost in sight, but that nothing is to be gained by undue precipitation. The estimate for the total cost of completing the line was £500,000, but he declined to say ■whether he was prepared to put even half that amount on the Estimates. No doubt Cabinet has not yet dealt with the matter, but the Minister was careful not even to express his, own personal opinion on the point. Beyond the oracular response that, he would make lepreaentations to Cabinet as to what he wanted, he really had no promise to make, but if the members who tnok part in the deputation will l-'eep the matter moving, the slightly improved pace at which the Government has recently proceeded with the line may be indefinitely accelerated.