A MONUMENT OF DELAY.

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 14, 17 July 1905, Page 5

A MONUMENT OF DELAY.

THE MAIN TRUNK EAILWAY. PAST PROMISES AND FUTURE HOPES. DEPUTATION TO MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS. The long-continued discontent at the delay in the construction, of the North Island Main Tijink Railway was on Saturday the subject of one more addition to the extensive series of deputations which have made representations to the Government at intervals during the past five years. Saturday's deputation waited on the Minister for Public Works, and comprised representatives of the Wellington and Auckland Chambers of Commerce, and a number of members of Parliament, including Messrs. Aitken, Duthie, Baume, Fowids, ' Hogg, Kirkbride, Barber, and Massey. It was the outcome of resolutions passed by the Auckland and Wellington Chambers of | Commerce in favour of sending deputations to urge on the Government the necessity of exhibiting greater expedition on the main trunk works, and the desirableness of an early acquisition by the Government of the Wellington and Manawatu Railway. ' „ . « I Mr. Duthie, in the course of his speech, which, was strongly endorsed by subsequent speakers, said that the delay in the construction of the line had been, so marked that it had become a matter of general jesting and disrespectful comment on the administration of the Public Works Department. He urged that the capital sunk in. the line was locked up. and pointed out the value of the line in opening, up the great Waimarina forests. He admitted that at this season the men could not go on very fast, but he declared that in the summer there had not been the energy that one should expect. He s hoped that the votes asked for this session would be Lsuch that the cause for complaint would be removed, and that such, energy wojild be exhibited as would lead to the completion of the line in two or three years. The universality of the complaints, both in tt« South, as well ac the North, was emphasised by Mr. Duthie, who also pointed oxit that the railway would solve the mail difficulty and obviate the delay caused by reliance on unreliable,, bar harbours for the' transmission south of the San. Francisco mail. Mr. Duthie's views were endorsed by Mr. J. G. Harkness, who pointed out that the Minister had in -1900 promised that the railway would be completed in four years. The four years had gone, and it appeared to be as for off completion as over. The line would give a great impetus to the agricultural and pastoral development of the North. Island. The strong feeling of Auckland thafc its comparative isolation should not continue was dealt with by Mr. Baume. It was no longer a question of North, v. South, or Wellington v. Auckland — newspapers all over the colony had stated that this railway was tho oae colonial work that should not be neglected. He asked for an assurance that the lino would be completed in. two or three years. The past promises of Ministers were made the text of an uncompromising indictment by Mr. Fowids. The Minister, ■he said, had distinctly promised a, deputation in 1900 that the line would be built in four years — and he could not get out of it, no matter how he manipulated his explanations. He (Mr. Hall-Jones) and the Premier knew that they had left an impression on the deputation in question that tho railway would be completed in 1904. The House had voted every shilling that had been asked for, and if the necessary money had not been voted it was entirely th© fault of the Minister or the Government. The Premier had definitely stated that the railway would be finished at the earliest possible moment. In 1903 Sir J. G. Ward had told a deputation in Wellington that the railway would be completed in 1904, and though it was pointed out then that thafc left only 18 months, the Minister of Railways had said the Government could be pretty smart when it liked. Mr. Hall Jones himself had said without qualification that he would send the Auckland members home by rail at the end of the present Parliament. The money voted had not all been spent. Th© Minister: Sometimes it was overspent. Mr. Fowids denied this, and continued that the colony was losing £50,000 or £100,000 a year in interest on money lying idle in the line, and it was the poorest possible economy to leave so large a. sum lying unproductive when by pushing on they could cave two or three years of this big interest roll. He hoped line would be completed in .three years. The Leader of the Opposition expressed the hope that th© Goyxnment would understand that from whatever point of view it was looked at, it was in the interest of th© colony as a. whole that the line be completed at the earliest possible moment. He thought he was voicing the opinion of the whole House when he said that whatever proposals the Government, put forward to expedite the railway would b© agreed to unanimously. Messrs. Hogg and Kirkbride expressed similar views. In his reply, the Minister declared himself to be a trunk line advocate, and referred to the line as tho most important public work in the colony. He admitted that he had said an 1900 that the position of the work was such that it could be completed in four years, but he had not got sufficient money. He intimated that this was due to the necessity of building the lesser lines in various parta of th© colony to open up land for the settlers. They could not ignore the settlers — he put on one side the advantages th© cities might receive, but he did say that the country should b© opened for the settlers — he put them first. He denied that^he had promised to send the Northern members horn© by rail at the end of this Parliament, and suggested that if such a promise had been made, it must have been an after-dinner expansiveness — "very much after dinner." As to the colony losing by capital being locked up, he contended that the capital was not locked up any more than a building was an unproductive sinking of capital while it was being built. Mr. Massey: But you don't have a dozen buildings going on. The Minister then staled the position of the work as it stood at present. The line was opened as fax soulh as Taumaranui and as far north as Taihape. From Taumaranui rails were laid south to Owhango, and men were working as far south as Pukerimu. Men were working from Taihape nortn to Waiouru. He intimated that the most difficult was just north of Waiouru and south of Pukerimu to the great Makatote viaduct. In the course of a conversational discussion Mr. Aitken wanted to know whether, if a special loan were asked for, the work would be done in 1£ years, but the Ministor said that it was useless, as the contract time for th© Makatoto viaduct was two years. Mr. Baume suggested using the Wanganui river to curry material to build the easy central section of tho uncompleted work. He urged that this would save time and would not lose money, .the extra cost ia excess of what it would j>e if the completed ends were used being 'made up by the saving of interest for the

time saved. The Minister, however, did not look favourably on this suggestion. The state of the work was : Line opened, 335$ miles; rails laid, 16£ miles; road under work, 37^ miles; distiince untouched, 38 miles— total 426 miles. There would be a service road made along the uncompleted portion, and he hoped that next summer the journey from Wellington to Auckland could be mad© overland bj rail and road. Mr. Massey : And when do you expech to finish? The Minister: I said in Auckland H. would take three years, and I say it now. That is what I hope. I think il- will b<s less. But I make no definite promise. He intimated Later on that ho did not want £300,000 this year, because he could not spend it. Hoav much would he want? asked Mr. Kirkbride. He would make hio representations to Cabinet, said the Minister. "I feel," he said in conclusion, "thafc I can now proceed with that line uninterruptedly. I ha.ye not been in that position before." ' Mr. Massey: You've been in it fivd years. Mr. Hall-Jones: Oh, no. Mr. Fowids : There has been something to stop you getting the necessary money. Mr. Massey : Something we don't know of. Then the deputation left.