THE NORTH ISLAND TRUNK RAILWAY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12219, 6 December 1901, Page 5

THE NORTH ISLAND TRUNK RAILWAY.

« - - PLAIN SPEAKING TO A MINISTER,

(Pkh United I^s^ Association.) M AUCKLAND, December 5. The exchange of telegrams relative to the discharge of men 011 railway work,; ec'ilinm's. Mr Fovlds, M.H.R., received the following from the Minister of Works: — Jll reply to your IclFgram re works ill Auckland district. Ii yon will refer to niv wire to you of the 28th tilt. you will see there is 1:0 denial that men have been dispensed with, as may be inferred from your kit telegiam. The number discharged from the.north end of the .Main Trunk l>.i, ; is not nearly so great as you mention, and, with very few exception*, all those put off were single men. It is not unusual to reduce hands during the summer months, when there are so many opportunities for nun to obtain other employment. I cannot, thereore, understand the absurd statements that Uave been made I'or.uernhisr this matter— mic, for instance, that the whole of the work 011 the north end was lo be stopped last -Saturday; another, that the whole expenditure was to he concentrated 011 the ocuth end; and one of the wildest was attributed lo yourself—namely, ll.=at it was for want of funds. Wo have been making good pro-gre.-ia on the Afain Trunk, and I intend, as far as the vote will permit, to make further good progress, ami can do so. md none of this nonsense that has appeared will put 111 c oft the track. With regard to the I acroa-Waihi and some other works, you must l'pcognise that my expenditure is cantrolled ny the vote of Parliament and tho vote being for the financial year; then, except where works are Hearing completion, expenditure withiu leasonahle'limits has to cover that period, and on tlie Pacroa line the vote will he fully expended by March 21. Had you intimated to 1110 your desire to know what was being done upon •outhern works, I would at once have informed you, and I venture lo think that you would have been satisfied that your district lad not been rxceptimally treated.—Wjf IIAU-.fnXK,"

Mr I'owlds. M.H.I'., telegraphed lo tho Minister of Public VVurlis as follows:''>0111- reply to my telegram makes confusion woivp confounded. No sane man or Minister, which I have always taken you to lie, would seriously advise that men should lie allowed to walk ahout in idleness during tho summer when their work is worth' s'o much more, awl be employed knee deep in mud during the winter, unless there was a tightness somewhere. Tour contention that 1 overstated the number discharged when 1 raid nearly 300 is' only ti quibble, when we know the number is over £50. Although you knew my anxiety to know whether the same proportion of men had her>i di-misscd down south, your telegram contained only vague suggestions. f don't think your explanation i.-i by r.ny means futi,-factory. In any ca-e, a complplc stoppage of work on the Mini Trunk line is not an lionest way of carrying out the repealed pledges of Ihe (lovfrnmeut to have the lino completed as early as possible."