WAIAU RAILWAY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16508, 25 March 1914, Page 10

WAIAU RAILWAY.

DEFINITE STATEMENT FROM MINISTER,

The Hon W. Fraser, Minister of Public Works, has sent the following telegram to the secretary of the Waiau Railway League (Mr S. Baker), in ieply to the League's telegram of Monday :

'' I explained to you on February 14 what was being done in regard to the Culverden-Waiau railway. Five separate contracts are now nearly ready for advertising and the remainder will follow in due course. I will be verypleased to receive any deputation here (Wellington) on Thursday, but neither deputation nor wires will expedite th°se works -by one hour. You surely are not labouring under the, delusion that the vote will lapse on March 31. I promised the railway and it will be made, but I must remind you that other railway lines as well as yours are engaging the attention of the Department." Mr Baker despatched the following reply:—"l have to acknowledge your reply to my executive's telegram of Monday, which puts a different com-' plexion on the affair altogether to tho reply of the Hon R. H. Rhodes to the deputation which interviewed him at Waiau aild which prompted my League to send you a further deputation. I have to thank you for the very definite nature of your telegram, in view of which the deputation we proposed sending will be held in abeyance. While wo quite recogniso that other railways require attention besides our own, you will probably agree that the settlers' long wait provides some justification for their impatience."