NORTH ISLAND RAILWAYS

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 31, 21 September 1911, Page 6

NORTH ISLAND RAILWAYS

A VIGOROUS ADVOCATE. (Per Press Association.) Auckland, September 20. The rights of the North Island in regard to railway .construction found a vigorous advocate at this afternoon’s meeting of the Auckland Railway League in Mr E. C. Banks, of Matamata. Mr Banks moved—“ Seeing that the population of the North Island is so much greater than that of the South Island, and that as the North Island railways are paying so much better than those in the South Island, the Government bo asked to spend £2 on the North Island railway for every £1 spent on the South Island lines, uptil tho mileage of the railways' in the North Island is equal to that in the South Island.”

Mr. Banks said he thought the-pop-ulation of the North Island was about 80,000 greater than that of the South Island, and the North Island had only about 1100 miles of railway, as compared with 1500 miles in the ‘ South Island. Although the North Island at present had 41 members in the House of Representatives, -as against the South Island’s 35, a much greater expenditure on public works was still going on in the South L;lu::d. It was, ho continued a reflect; ax upon the North Island that its rncrrV-.-.rs were unable to held their-aw:; mv.inst the South Island. The North Auckland, East Coast and Ongaruc-Stratford lines (for which the ’League asking for votes this year totalling £-100,000) would, ho considered, pay at least 4 per , cent on their cost, when they were finished. These works would thus be a splendid investment for tho Government. Ho contrasted the prospects of such lines with those of the line Canterbury to the West Coast of the South .Island.

Mr A. W. Thomson, of Auckland, who seconded the motion, said Mr Bunks’ estimate of 4 per cent as the earning powers of the northern lines was a very moderate one. He had made a calculation of the returns from the 2-3. miles of line at Gisborne for a period of three or four months during the present year, .and ho found that the earnings of this section, short and isolated as it was, was at the.rate of about o’ per cent per annum. The motion was carried unanimously. ANCKLAND RAILWAY LEAGUE’S DEMANDS. Auckland, September 20. At the annual meeting'of the Auckland Railways League to-day, it was resolved to ask the Government to vote £200,000 this year for the North Auckland railway lines extension, £150,000 for the East Coast Railway, and £IOO,OOO for the Ongaruo-Strat-ford line.