SOUTH ISLAND LINE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20867, 8 May 1931, Page 12

SOUTH ISLAND LINE.

COMPLETION OF RAILWAY. | HINT OF FAVOURABLE REPORT. ! EARLY PUBLICATION EXPECTED. |RY TELEGRAPH. PRESS ASSOCIATION.) BLENHEIM. Thursday.A statement by Mr. K. I'. Healy, M.l'., regarding the completion of the South Island Main Trunk railway lino, made at a, meeting of the Marlborough Progress League, was regarded by members as reassuring. Mr. Healy said there was no doubt about the construction proceeding in (ho meantime and ho hinted that a favourable Railway Department report on the completion of the lino could he expected within the, next week or so. "I do not think there is the slightest doubt about the line continuing if we can finance it," said Mr. Healy, "and that depends on the ability to raise the money on sufficiently favourable terms. I am led to understand, although ignorant of what is actually in the report, that the Railway Department has a report on the lino that no directorate or commission can turn down. 1 believe the report will be published next week. "The Minister of Railways told me it would bo impossible for any commission or board to oppose the completion of the line on the report that has been prepared. 1 am informed that the report will bliow how it will be possible to run two trains each way if desired and land passengers from Wellington in Christchurch in seven hours, at a combined boat and train fare tliat will be less than the present fare on the ferry service to Lyttelton." Mr. Healy said it was because he had some inkling of the proposal that lie was able to declare in the House of Representatives that within four years of the completion of the railway there would be no passenger boat between Wellington and Lyttelton and lie felt lie could have made the period t>vo years. He was quite satisfied that tho public would patronise such a train service in preference to tho steamer service.