RAILWAY POLICY

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 55, 8 March 1929, Page 10

RAILWAY POLICY

IMMEDIATE ACTION

NEW CONSTRUCTION

IN BOTH ISLANDS

An important statement was made by the Prime Minister (the Kight Hon. Sir Joseph Ward) after a Cabinet meeting to-day in regard to the prosecution of the Government's vigorous policy of railway construction, incidentally utilising unemployed labour.

Sir Joseph said in the first place that Cabinet had confirmed the coastal route for the Gisbor'ne line, the work to be prosecuted without delay. The necessary equipment will be obtained immediately, and the work will be put in hand as soon as the Public Works Department can make arrangements.

In regard to the completion of the South Island Main Trunk line, Sir Joseph said that three Ministers would proceed South within the next week to finally decide the route to be followed from Picton southwards. Instructions would then be given for the work to be pushed on without delay.

The Westport-Inangahua line, which is already under way, is to be gone on with as fast as possible," and more unemployed workers will be engaged on the contract as soon as the Public Works Department could make the necesary arrangements. The GlenhopeMurchison connection is to be prosecuted as fast as possible, and work on the Murchison-Inangahua line is also to be put in hand, and carried on vigorously, thus completing the line to the West Coast and establishing rail connection from end to end of the South Island.

Similarly, work is to be gone on with as fast as possible on tho AucklandTaranaki line.