PUBLIC WORKS' ESTIMATES

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 14144, 22 July 1916, Page 7

PUBLIC WORKS' ESTIMATES

The House went into Committee on the Public Work's Estimates this evening.

Mr Fraser said it was his intention shortly after Parliament rose to arrange with the various County Councils to meet him at certain places in order to determine what votes w,puld be dispensed with for the time being and to what works they would like to have the votes transferred. Mr Pearce declared that the money spent on the Otira tunnel was wasted. The population on the West Coast was decreasing. It would be no advantage to complete the tunnel. Coal could be freighted to Lyttelton cheaper by seiv than by rail, while through 'passengers could'easilv n.ake the journey in one day.

Mr T. A. H. Field protested against the reduction from £15,000 to £7000 of the amount for the Nelson end of the Midland Railway. -If every other part of the coxmtry had been similarly treated he could not complain, but Nelson had been more severely cut down.

The Minister assured critics of the Otira tunneKthat they were wasting time. The work had been begun and would have to be finished.