RAILWAY WORKS AUTHORISED

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 813, 6 November 1929, Page 6

RAILWAY WORKS AUTHORISED

Government’s Policy Criticised COMPLETION OF MAIN LINES Opposition Amendment Defeated Press Association PARLIAMENT BLDGS., Today. RAILWAY construction policy was discussed from 7.30 last evening until 3 o’clock this morning, when the Railways Authorisation Bill was put through all stages by the House of Representatives. An amendment moved by the Leader of The Opposition, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, urging investigation of the whole question was defeated by 42 votes to 25.

The Minister of Public Works, the Hon. E. A. Ransom, moving the second reading, said it had been suggested that further reports should be obtained before proceeding with the projects outlined in the Bill, but he pointed out that .the commission which investigated the South Island Main Trunk railway cost the country something like £IO,OOO, and its report was still available. It was most essential that the gaps should be filled. By the completion of those lines not only would the productivity of the country be increased, but the existing services would be in a much better revenue position than they were at present. The country was also faced with the problem of unemployment, and surely under such conditions there was no time more opportune for proceeding with the work than the present. The Bill sought authorisation first for the Wellington-Napier (Lower Hutt Valley duplication) line. This was a branch line, leaving the existing Lower Hutt Valley railway and running generally to the southward of the existing line to Point Howard. The length was about 2 miles 30 chains. The line would penetrate what was known as the industrial area of the valley. SOUTH ISLAND GAPS The second item in the Bill sought authorisation for the Midland line, 28 miles of which remained to be completed. The third section referred to the South Island Main Trunk, which was estimated to cost £2,415,000. There was a gap of 76 miles. Twentytwo miles had already been authorised, and work on that section had been expedited considerably during recent months. The distance from the Clarence River to Parnassus was 54 miles, and the Bill proposed to authorise that section. The other item was the East Coast Main Trunk. The, Minister gave the following figures as the estimated costs of construction: Midland Railway, £2,278,500; South Island Main Trunk, £2,415,000; East Coast Main Trunk, £1,260,000. Mr. Coates criticised the Government’s policy on' similar lines to his former criticisms, and urged the investigation of the financial side of the proposed undertakings. He moved the following amendment:—

That while the House does not desire to obstruct the authorisation proposed in this Bill, it is of opinion that a full inquiry should immediately be instituted by the Government as to the whole question of railway construction, more especially in view of the emphatic statement in the Budget that the railway losses must rapidly increase unless some co-ordination is arranged between motor transport and railways.” The Acting-Leader of the House, the Hon. G. W. Forbes, said the carrying of the amendment would mean the holding up of all railway works now in progress, and the consequent dismissal of the men so employed, but that assertion was denied by Mr. Coates, who considered the investigation sought could be completed in six months. TRAIN-FERRY Mr. Coates said he had listened with interest and some amusement to Mr. Ransom’s speech. Mr. Ransom had said that a commission which had cost £IO,OOO had been brought to New Zealand to inquire into the South Island Main Trunk railway. Mr. Ransom would find that the commission had not recommended the railway. It did say the project was worth looking into if the train ferry were taken into consideration. “Is it a fair thing for the Minister to say that the commission came here at a cost of £IO,OOO to inquire into the South Island Main Trunk railway, when lie must know the commission came to inquire into the operating railways?” asked Mr. Coates. “It is true that while here the commission passed an opinion on the train ferry idea.” He was not singling out any particular line; it was at the whole question of railway construction that the criticism of the Opposition had been levelled. “I do not think the Minister of Public Works agrees with the Government’s railways policy,” said Mr. Coates. “I thought he spoke with his tongue in his cheek and did not believe in what he was asking the House to agree to.” £15,000,000 REQUIRED At least £15,000,000 would be required to complete the railways proposed, continued Mr. Coates. When the expenditure of such a sum was contemplated the time had arrived for a careful examination of what the consequences of that expenditure would be. The main object of the Opposition had been to urge for an inquiry, not to prevent the works going on.

Some dispute had arisen as to the results of the investigations made into the South Island Main Trunk line, but surely that dispute could easily be settled. Indeed, Mr. Coates believed that more could be said in favour of that line than in favour of some other lines on the Government’s programme. It had also to be considered whether a road in some cases would not be better than a railway. The question of all the railways should be submitted to the strictest examination by competent men, and there were such men in New Zealand capable of performing the task. Mr. G. C. Munns (Roskill); Would you stop the present works?

Mr. Coates: No. It Is not our intention to stop these authorisations, but we should at least have a very careful and searching inquiry made into the operating costs, the revenue likely to be earned and the developmental value. I think the investigation could be carried out in 12 months, or even in six months. Exception could not be taken to the Inahgahua-Westport line, continued Mr. Coates, as there was a big coal trade there, but could anyone justify the Midland line at the present time—a line running right on through the heart of country which had just experienced one of the worst earthquakes in recent years. “If carried this amendment will mean the end of the Railways Authorisation Bill,” declared the ActingLeader of the House, Mr. Forbes. While the Leader of the Opposition says he has no desire to hold up the authorisation of these lines, he must realise that if his amendment is carried these lines cannot be authorised this session.” Mr. Coates: That is not so. RAIL OR STEAMER Mr. Forbes strongly advocated the completion of the South Island Main Trunk line. Some had contended that the present ferry service between Wellington and Lyttelton would continue to be used, but the experience of other countries was that people preferred to stay in the land vehicle as long as possible before taking a steamer and consequently lines were built as far as possible to the end of the land. It was only reasonable to suppose that the same disposition would be evinced by people travelling in New Zealand. Mr. Forbes referred to the deterioration in condition that resulted from driving stock from Marlborough to Canterbury. In any case, it was now virtually impossible to drive stock along the frequented roads. The completion of the railway would facilitate the transportation of the thousands of store sheep that were sent from Marlborough to Canterbury. “It appears to be that the people are being misled about the South Island line,” said Mr. C. A. Wilkinson. He asked Mr. Forbes if his statement that the passing of the amendment would stop work on the line was correct. If it were correct, the men were working on the lines at present without authority. In regard to the South Island Main Trunk line there had been no recommendation in the Fay-Raven report on the line alone, but in conjunction with a train-ferry. The only real report on the line was that of the Fay-Casey Commission, which had condemned it lock, stock and barrel.

“The amendment is meaningless,” said the Leader of the Labour Party, Mr. H. E. Holland. “The Leader of the Opposition says he does not want the works stopped, but if his amendment is carried what will happen. The Reform Party is asking us to investigate works which have been started after an investigation. That position is not tenable. A great case has been made, certainly on a very flimsy foundation, against the South Island lines, yet to carry the North Island lines to completion will cost £6,250,000, while the completion of the South Island lines will cost only £4,750,000."

The debate was carried on for a considerable time until the division was taken, resulting in defeat of the amendment by 422 votes to 25. The list was as follows:

For amendment —25 Ansell . McMillan Bitchener Martin Campbell Mason Coates Massey Dickie Nash

Field Samuel Hall Sykes Hamilton "Waite Harris Wilkinson Henare Williams Jones Wright Kyle Young Linklater

Against the amendment —42 Armstrong Lysnar Atmore McDonald Black McDougall Bodkin McKeen Broadfoot Macpherson Carr Makita-nara Chapman Munns Ciinkard Munro Cobbe Murdoch de la Perrelle Ngata Donald O’Brien Forbes Parry Fraser Ransom Hawke Savage Healy Semple Holland, H. E. Smith Howard Stallworthy Jenkins Sullivan Jordan Taverner Langstone Veitch Lye Wilford

The Bill was read a second time at 2.45 a.m. without further division. While the measure was under consideration in committee Mr. A. Hamilton (Wallace) moved to strike out item two (Midland line) from the schedule. Mr. H. E. Holland expressed the opinion that Mr. Hamilton’s amendment violated the statement by Mr. Coates in course of moving his amendment. He had stated that the House did not desire to obstruct the authorisation proposed in the Bill. The amendment was rejected on voices and the Bill was then read the third time and passed unamended.

The House rose at 3 a.m. till 11 a.m this morning.