UNECONOMIC RAILWAYS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20496, 22 February 1930, Page 12

UNECONOMIC RAILWAYS.

BUSINESS MEN'S PROTEST,

SOUTHERN LINES CRITICISED

The Government's railway construction policy, which frequently has been criticised adversely by tho Auckland Chamber of Commerce, is referred to in tho annual report to be presented at the annual meeting of tho chamber next Thursday. Traversing the railway events of tho past year the report states that strong protest was made against the determination to proceed with tho filling of tho Wharanui-Parnassus gap, which had been pronounced by experts as definitely uneconomic. The "chamber was associated with other bodies in urging upon the Government the desirability of proceeding early with the duplication'of the Papa-kura-Papatootoe line and it was gratifying to know that this work had beon commenced. The desirability of ■ tho completion of the Paeroa-Pokeno link had also been urged upon the Government, but so far no announcement had been made as to Iho probable date of commencement. Other railway projects in the province 'had been under consideration and suitable action had been taken in each case.

"The chamber deplores the large expenditure incurred on the extension now being made from Okaihnu to a dead end at Kangiahu.i and finds it difficult to understand why, taking into account tho treacherous nature of this .country, this work was ever undertaken," continues the report. "In regard to capital expenditure on railways the chamber raised no protest when tho Government docided to discontinue the Palmerst'm North deviation and the Rotorua-Taupo railway on the ground that there might have been financial reasons to justify the action, viewing Ihe matter from tho standpoint ot the general interests of tho country, 'lliis chamber strongly, but unsuccessfully, urged that tho same exhaustivo investigation should lie given to tho proposal to proceed with the Wharanui-Parnassus and Kawatiri-lnangahua gaps. It is evident that the 1 imo has come when the interests of tho country as a whole, rather than political considerations, should be paramount in guiding decisions regarding construction of new lines/*