PUBLIC WORKS TROUBLES.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLIV, Issue 14040, 24 April 1920, Page 1

PUBLIC WORKS TROUBLES.

BELATED RAILS AND-.SLEEPERS. (By Telegraph.) ; (Special to the Oamaru -Mail.) WELLINGTON, April 23. Interesting facts showing the difficulty of securing railway construction material have been elicited from the Public Works officials by Messrs Whitlock and Prime, who. on behalf of the. East Coast Development League, have been visiting Wellington to stir up the Public Works Department over the wants of that district. The want particularly urged was the completion of' a part "of the Napier.Gisborne railway, the construction of which for 11 miles at the Napier Sid to Eskdale only awaite the laying of rails. But there are no rails on the ground. They found that the Department has sufficient rails to lay six miles, but it has no sleepers. Several contracts have been let for New Zealand sleepers, but none have been delivered, "while Australian supplies are held up through the shipping shortage. Three years ago the Public Works Departmentplaced an order for 3000 tons of "Aus-tralian-made rails, but not a single Vail is to hand, though a small supply has come from England since tfie armistice, and a further shipment is expected shortly. There seems to be some hope of the Department abandoning its one-man-and-a-6ari-ow policy of ' construction, for the East Coast delegation discovered that several steam navvies are on order from America, and one, to arrive shortly, will be placed, on the 'Napier-Gisborne section. ■