SOUTH ISLAND RAILWAY

Otago Witness, Issue 3566, 18 July 1922, Page 61

SOUTH ISLAND RAILWAY

GI.EN'HOPE TO INANGAHCA. WELLINGTON, July 13. A deputation waited upon the Prime Minister and the Minister of Works today to urge on the work of completing the Glenhope-Inangahua section of the South Island railway. Mr H. Atmore, M.P., explained the position, and said the gap was 60 miles. The Prime Minister said this work would be very difficult in parts. Mr Atmore suggested that unemployed should be placed on the gap. Other West Coast and Nelson member* spoke. The Minister of Public Works stated that the matter would Le considered where he was going through the Estimates and deciding on the railway works for the year. There was no doubt rhui it was difficult country, and w hat it was going to cost he did not know probably a npllion. Tha engineers did not know whether to go straight into the difficult country or to avoid it. It was all rock and steep facings. He thought it was country that would stand, but it wodld be heavy going, blasting all the way through. Mr Hudson: To the west of Murchison? Mr Coates: Yes, beyond Murchison. Ifr was true that not much had been done, but they had under consideration the construction of huts and camps to accommodate more men. and more men would Lo available when Otira was finished. Mr Atmore: \There are a certain number of tinemployed who might be put on. Mr Coates said they hud not heard much of unemployment in Nelson; in fact, the returns were nil. The Public Works Department had 6500 men on public works; another 500 were in telegraph extensions, and of the latter 250 to 300 would wot be employed in ordinary circumstances. How the Minister of Finance was going to keep up with that he did not know. They were a long way beyond the figures for previous years. In August, 1920, for instance, a very similar period to this, they hod only 4000, as against the . 6500 on public works to-day. The Prime Minister said the intention was to complete the lines already approaching completion, and then to fall back on lines such as that spoken cf by the deputation, but the tin position was staring them in the face all the time. They had never before had the same reason for care and caution, and so far as he cou.d judge, the condition would continue for some time. The changes which had taken place had made it more than ever necessary that the Government should be careful of two tilings in railway construction. First, that there was sufficient finance for the works, and in the next place, that the undertaking would pay interest on the cost of construction. If the Government went on with works and got only 2 per cent, return, when the money was costing 6 per cent., it meant that a heavy bur deu was placed on the taxpayers. It was quite safe to say that there were 7000 men on public works at the present time, and it took a tremendous sum to nay them. Ho did not suppose he would nave any difficulty in borrowing money, but it was not wise to borrow for works which would not pay interest. 1 The position made him agree with the idea of getting more people into the country to share the burden. However, the Government was not going to depart from pledges given. He did not know- whether Mr Coales was prepared to place men on the work under review, but if he recommended it be had no doubt Cabinet would agree. That was for Mr Coates to decide. He would like to see this piece of line finished, and the different parts of the South Island joined up, and when they got the Ciira tunnel finished and out of the way, he hoped they would be able to go on, and keep steadily on with this piece until it was finished. He knew It had to be done, but whether it would pay interest on the construction cost he did not know. However, with Christchurch at one end and Blenheim and Nelson at the other, it might turn out better than he expected. He could only promise that the Government would do irs best in the circumstances.