"DAMAGING DECISION"

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 58, 12 March 1929, Page 10

"DAMAGING DECISION"

ABANDONMENT DEPLORED

. (By Telegraph.) (Special to "The Evening Post")

AUCKLAND, This Day. Dealing editorially with the abandonment of the Taupo railway, the "New Zealand Herald" says:— "Tho Prime Minister's announcement that the Government has docided to discontinue the construction of the ltoto-rua-Taupo railway will be generally regarded as far more damaging to its railway construction policy than any rational criticism of that policy possibly could be. Two decisions have been made by the Government within a few days. First it considered the huge programme of railway building advanced by Sir Joseph Ward. On his own authority that was endorsed en bloc with, out any pretence of examining. the prospects of tho new lines to be undertaken, and without the slightest regard for the departmental reports, that at least demand the utmost caution in ignoring their warnings. Then it reviewed the question of the Taupo railway and decided that it was 'quite unjustified, ' although there are in the series of official reports far more substantial arguments in its favour than have ever been made, for all the remainder of the larger programme, and in spite of the fact that, before it was commenced by the late Government, the latter was thoroughly satisfied that the railway was essential to the development of the district and that it would be profitable. 'fWhat reasons has the Government for? the extraordinary discrimination /between the programme advanced by Sir Joseph Ward and the railway inaugurated by its predecessors? Several Ministers inspected both the Gisborne and Taupo routes. The Prime Minister's statement implies that ; their reports led to the Government's adverse decision in the latter case. ' He has not, however, -suggested that they .were, asked for recommendations, regarding the Gisborne railway. There has not been even .a pretence ,of Ministerial inspections of the South Island and the Buller railways. "According to the Royal Commission's report, the Taupo railway would traverse 1,500,000 acres of land which the Prime Minister agrees is capable of settlement. On the other hand, the report by the inspecting engineer of the Public Works Department in 1923 states that the coastal route of the Gisborne railway would open only 54,000 acres. The assurance was given by Sir Joseph Ward a week ago that he would not be a party to the building of any more political railways. Is the country to conclude that the Taupo line, because it was started by the late Government, is a political railway, and that all the lines to be started by the present Government are not political railways? That it has condemned the Taupo ljne ostensibly for economic ', reasons only emphasises the recklessness with which it decided to undertake.three new railways without applying to them any tests at all." ; /,■,,,