RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17269, 19 September 1919, Page 9

RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION

VIGOROUS POLICY URGED.

EAST COAST REQUIREMENTS

SOUTH ISLAND ADVANTAGES,

Interesting facts and figures concerning | railway constuction in the Dominion were I supplied yesterday by Mr. P. E. Cheal at the meeting of the Auckland Railways j League yesterday. The total number of j men employed during last month was 1698 [ —316 in the South Island and 1382 in the '. | North. This was satisfactory so far as it! I went, he said, but the number was not : nearly large enough for a vigorous public ■ j ■works policy. On the northern lines, the ■ | Main Trunk and the Waiotira-Whangarei! I branch line, 649 men were employed, and : I 98 on the Kaihu line, which had been sus- j pended for years past. ! On the unconstiucted portion of the i East Coast Main Trunk railway, there 1 : was about one man to the mile. It was a i j question for mathematicians how long it! would take to complete the East Coast ! j railway at that rate. The last decade showed an increase in the difference of the mileage between the North and South Islands. If the East Coast Main Trunk and the Stratford-Okahukura lines were completed, there would be about equal ' mileage in both islands. All future allocations for public works purposes should be based on a fair and just ratio between the islands in proportion to the differences in population, production, and exports. This would lead to the larger mileage of our railways in the future being in the North Island to increase the settlement and prosperity of the Dominion. Speaking particularly with regard to the delay of the Paeroa-Pokeno line, Mr. Cheal stated that the Minister for Railways had promised that it would be among the authorised lines, but he had not carried out his promise. The Prime Minister, prior to his departure from New Zealand last year, had stated that the Government had made every provision to put ten or twelve thousand soldiers on to various works as soon a.s peace was declared. The advantage in railway mileage possessed by the South Island over the North Island was illustrated by Mr. Cheal by means of a diagram, dealing with the period from 1874 to 1918. The following table showing the differences in mileage at various dates was given : — Year. North Tsld. South Isld. Difference. 1874 . . 30 110 SO ISSO . . 370 825 155 1890 ... 690 1.140 4,,0 1900 . . 858 I,'_>BB 4?. i) 1910 . . 1.160 1.560 '100 1918 . 1.279 1.71! 435 Mr. Wright moved, and it wa,« carried unanimously, that all Parliamentary candidates be asked the following question : " Are you in favour of blocking all public works allocations in connection with railways until assured that the North Island deficiency in railway mileage is definitely made good in the new Public Works Statement after the election?"