REPORT ON RAILWAYS.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 September 1924, Page 5

REPORT ON RAILWAYS.

STATEMENT THIS WE€K. A COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY. ELECTRIFICATION QUESTION. According to statements made to ft deputation of Canterbury member® of Parliament by the Prime Minister and the Minister for Public Works (the Hon. J. G. Coates), full details of the Goveminent’s railway development proposals will -be laid bafere the House of Representatives thia week in the Railways Statement, and a special paper which is now being printed. Railway electrification will be included, though before making definite propoaals regarding this the Government will obtain a full report from oversea* experts. The deputation's purpose was to present a resolution passed by a mass meeting iu Christchurch on Monday evening, ui'g ing the Government to proceed at once With the duplication of the Lyitelteu tunnel, and the electrification of tfee Christchurch-Lyttelton railway. Mr. Coates, who replied first, said that after taking over the portfolio of railways about twelve months ago—ftt the Prime Minister’s request, and not of his own desire—he had called a routd table conference of members of Parliament, commercial men, and others to consider railway needs. His conclusion was that there wae so much io be done that it was advisable to obtain a cuts* prehensive and orderly report npon we requirements of the whole Deminim Ha had promised a Statement on Ae matter about May last, but the yailWfiy strike and other interruptions had delayed it. Now, after a hard year’s woNk, which included the putting fnto order of the departmental eufveys, he Ijhd incorporated his conclusions in the Railways Statement, and in a special papsr. both of which would be presented to the Mouse next week. The task had been a difficult one on account of tao large sum involved. The report would deal with both the duplication of the Lyttelton tunnel and the electrification of the line. The Prime Minister had already eaid that a report on railway electrification Would be Obtained next year. The Government hhld that no one in New Zealand Was qualified to advise it on the subject, and therefore it intended to ask acknowledged experts from oversea* to provide it with a thoroughly up-to-date report. Electrification, once it was started, meant an expenditure of millions. Mr. Massey said he knew that thire was a feeling of soreness in Canterbury. but it should be remembered that the province had better rail oommuhication than any other part of New Zealand, and much Government money had been spent on the Otira tunnel and the. Lake Coleridge power scheme. Commerce on North Island lines was badlv hampered by lack of proper station facilities at Auckland, Wellington, Palmerston North, and other centres. He could not say more at present than Mr. Coates had 'said, but he hoped before long to congratulate the Canterbury people on the beginning of the improvement. scheme. 'When it would be finished was another matter.