SOUTH ISLAND RAILWAY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17328, 27 November 1919, Page 6

SOUTH ISLAND RAILWAY.

ALLOCATION ON ESTIMATES. INTENTIONS OF GOVERNMENT. i [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] CHRISTCHTJRCH, Wednesday. The following letter has been received by the South Island Main Trunk Railway League, Marlborough, from Sir William Fraser, Minister for Public Works, in reference to the resolution of the league protesting against the smallness of the allocation for the resumption of work on the line. " Your letter of the 15th instant is to hand. Your league is entirely mistaken in assuming that the* amount on the Estimates for a particular railway is an indication as to its importance. The lines that have large sums provided have been under construction for some years, and large gangs of men have been employed. Provision had, therefore, to be made accordingly for 12 months' expenditure on the same. " Now the South Island Main Trunk line only requires about four months' expenditure, as it has to be restarted and men will have to be collected for the work. Under the present condition of the labour market this will not be a simple matter. I have placed a sura on the Estimates which I feel certain cannot be expended before March 31. If, however this can fortunately be achieved, the lack of money will not prevent further progress being made, as the intention of the Government is to push this work on as rapidly as labour is available."