SOUTH ISLAND RAILWAYS

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 20 July 1920, Page 5

SOUTH ISLAND RAILWAYS

COMPLETION OF MAIN TRUNK

WANTED,

(BY TEIiKGRAPH —PB.EBB ASSOCIATION.)

WELLINGTON, July 19. The speedy completion of the South Island Main Trunk railway was urged on Mr Massey and the Minister -of Public Works by a large deputation •representing Marlborough, Canterbury, Wellington and o±a,go. Mr Penny, chairman of the Railway League, said they felt the line / should fibceive early attention. Promise after promise had been made, but the iEne was still imfiiiMhed.

Mr Andrews, Kaikoura, recalled the fact that Mr Massey, when in the Opposition, was a member of one of many deputations which had urged that • the line should. ;he completed. Mr Mitchell, M.P. for Wellington South, regretted ithe fact shown in the monthly abstract of statistics, that two-thirds of the men on public works were 'employed .in the AucklaKti ■__- triet. The line was a national railway, which must :be pushed ahead for the good, of the country as a whole. The Premier, in reply, said he was of exactly the'Bame opinion regarding the line as he was "before the war. One of the effects of the war was a scarcity of labor. "Before the war the "Public Works Department had in its 'employ about 8000 men, and it now had 'about 4000. "It was quite true that a eei'tain amount of work was going along on the East Coast and north of Auckland, "but he reminded the deputation that the South "Island had probably 500 miles more railway than the "North Island. As to the line under discussion, it was a main line, and ought to be constructed at the first opportunity, though it was going to be very difficult to put through in many places. However, justice would be done.