NEW RAILWAYS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 15 August 1928, Page 7

NEW RAILWAYS

WHO DECIDES POLICY.

A CRITICAL MEMBER. EAST COAST LINE. (By Telegraph—Special to The Star.} WELLINGTON, Aug. 14. The railway ouiltung policy was criticised from tlie boi eminent side or the Mouse when the nnanciai deuate was resumed to-day. Mr. J. R. Hamilton (Awarua; pointed out that 35 per cent, oi the public wonts expenditure last year • was on new railways, a fact which ought to be noted in times when the wlioie aspect of transport ougnt to be seriously reconsidered. \> ho decided on tnese new lines, he asked. it seemed to him that these things were run by the heads of departments or someone. The Prime Minister: “Nothing of the sort; that is amain Every session the House has an opportunity ot approving the estimates, and the Government accepts the responsibility.” Mr. Hamilton: “What about the East- Coast line?” The Prime Minister: “The Government accepts the responsibility.” Mr. Hamilton: “if the Government accepts the responsibility for the East Coast line the general consensus of opinion ot all who are unbiassed is that it will not pay. We have the extension of the Stratford line and many others. We are not asking for a single line an the South Island.” Mr. J. o. Dickson: “They do not pay now.” ' . The Prime Minister: “The members for Buffer, Motueka, and Murunui are all asiving for railways.” Mr Hamilton: “Some of them have no more chance of getting them than I have of getting an extension to the Stewart Island wharf, which was turned down. There . should be some other consideration given to these things than purely local. This has become a national concern.” The Prime'Minister: “It, always has Hamilton: “I think Parliament should take the thing in hand, and we should get some reasonable consideration for the lines to be built in tbs future.”