No Deviation !

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 168, 17 July 1937, Page 4

No Deviation !

Wrong Interpretation of Ministerial Annuncement ? MR. HOHGENS MAKES INQUIRIES. When a Press Association telegram from Wairoa at the beginning of the month contained a Ministerial announcement that £IOO,OOO had been ■ budgetted for the deviation at Palmerston North, certain circles in the city l were all smiles. An organisation anxious to see the rails laid outside the J town boundary even went as far as to , pass a resolution of satisfaction. It j seems, however, that the hand-clapping ; has been a little premature and that the clang of hammer cleating rail to sleeper at Alilson is as far away as ever it was. When Mr. Hodgens, M.P., was in , Wellington yesterday, he made inquiries ’ from official circles as to what was ' intended, as tho Minister had failed to i disclose anything except the bare ani nouncement that the work was to be proceeded with. The people of Palmerston North, he knew, would be anxious , to know just when the work would be ’ re-commeuced and if there would be any chance of getting some of the , sustenance men into jobs. But his in- j 1 quiries revealed that something had i gone wrong. Either the Minister had | been not quite explicit enough or the j i Press message had been condensed to • (ive a wrong impression. There is no money to be set aside ■ at the moment for work at Milson, and l possibly what the telegram referred to > was work at present under way further ■ up the lino at Ivakariki or Turakina. i where deviations of some magnitude I are under way to ease steep grades in the permanent way. ‘‘Here's hoping,*’ must remain Palmerston North’s slogan. v Hx\RGAVILLE LINE. a t SECTION OF RAILWAY TO BE * COAIPLETED. * Per Pn • ... c DARGAVILLE, July 16. a ! Work is to be re-commenced imme- y diately on the uncompleted sectiou of - the Hargaville branch railway between j Tangowahine and Dargaville, according j ( j to a message received by the Rt. Hon. j i; : J. G. Coates, ALP., from the Acting- ! a i Alinister of Public Works, Hon. P. C. j 1 Webb. Operations will begin at Tango- !<, 1 wahine, a gang of 3.0 men being em- { s ployed immediately. The route over <; s which the line will enter Dargaville has j not been decided. The question has i been under consideration for some . months. The Minister has intimated 3 that arrangements will be completed within tho next few weeks. Air. Webb also intimated that in pursuance of the Government’s policy 1 of taking men off sustenance and plac--1 nig them on local body work, 50 men will be available for allocation between 1 Ctamatea and Hobson counties and the f Dargaville borough.