PUBLIC WORKS

Southland Times, Issue 18834, 29 May 1920, Page 6

PUBLIC WORKS

TUATAPERE-ORAWIA RAILWAY. LETTER TO THE MINISTER, The Western Star Fays, that Mr Adam Hamilton, M.P., has communicated with the Minister for Public Works as follows: “There are many public works in my electorate that need urgent attention, but of these I can inform you later. There is one, however, that must be attended to at once, namely, the Tnatapere-Orawia railway. If it would be possible for you to come down this far before the House meets, I should be very pleased to show you this partly constructed line. The distance is about eight miles over almost perfectly level country, with no engineering difficulties whatever. Ido not know how long it is since the work was begun, but it must be seven or eight years, and the formation :s not half completed yet. There must have been a few thousand pounds of money spent which is bringing in no return at all. I have just received a letter from the chairman of a large and representative body, and one sentence reads as follows; —‘At present there are only about seven or eight old men on the work, and at this rate of progress it will take fifty years to finish the line.’ I do not know what your policy is, but the method that has been adopted for constructing railways and, indeed, for a lot of other public works down this way has been *. laughing disgrace and has caused much -xvore criticism to be levelled against the Government. The writer of the came letter also says 'hat one contractor has been reported to have said that he could put the whole thing through in nine months; I also believe that this could easily be done. It always appears to me that when a railway line has been started and money spent, then hat work should be completed as speedily as possible so t!i at it could earn its own mtcrest. I believe there is r.o more important. portfolio in the Government to-day than that of Minister of Public Works, and 1 should very' much like to see a real live nroL-res-ive policy adopted so that the uniinished works that have been held up on ■.ccount of the war could be finished within :rs short a time as possible. 1 trust that sou will see your way dear to visit ray electorate and also have this work finished very soon."