Stopping the Northern Railway.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume IX, Issue 1779, 14 November 1887, Page 2

Stopping the Northern Railway.

Under the heading " A bid for votes," the Post says :—": — " It is understood that the Government have determined to stop at once all further expenditure on the North Island Trunk Railway, and that, in order to propitiate Taraoaki and Auckland, it will be proposed that, before the construction of the line by the Cpntral route is proceeded with, a sum of .£50,000 shall be diverted from the railway route to form a metalled road from Stratford or New Plymouth to some point on the railway. Any scheme of the kind will deserve the strongest possible resistance. Such a road is not in the least required, and there are scores of much more necessary roads in different parts of the colony which there is no probability of making. The diversion of a portion of the railway loan in the manner proposed would be most unjustifiable and a distinct breach of faith, as the loan has been most solemnly dedicated to the construction of tbe railway only, and has been ' earmarked ' in a most distinct manner. To throw away £50,000 on an" unnecessary road merely as a sop to Taranaki and Auckland, and for the purpose of purchasing the political support of those places, is one of the most immoral political proposals that any Government could possibly make." A Parliamentary correspondent adds : — I am informed that this is correct, and that the Minister for Public Works will submit such a proposal to the House. The Evening Preßs authoritatively contradiots the statement.