NEWS FROM THE CAPITAL

Taranaki Daily News, 24 July 1929, Page 3

NEWS FROM THE CAPITAL

SOUTH ISLAND RAILWAY THE PRIME MINISTER CONFIDENT. ATTITUDE OF OPPOSITION. (From Oui - Own Correspondent.) Wellington, July 22. The definite statement made by Sir Joseph Ward to the deputation representing the South Island Progress Leagues that waited upon him on Friday seems to leave little doubt about the speedy completion of the South Island. Trunk railway which has been in progress, at intervals, for some fifty years. Eight other members of the Cabinet were present when Sir. Joseph Ward received the deputation, and all the parties in Parliament were represented. Mr. J. E. Strachan, an ex-president of the Canterbury Progress League, presented the case for the speedy completion of the line at very considerable length, only, to find that the Prime Minister and his colleagues had made up their executive mind on the matter and that the work already was proceeding as rapidly as circumstances would permit. “There was no real occasion for you to come here,” Sir Joseph told the members of the deputation, “but I am very glad to see you all.” The work had been begun, he said in effect, and it was going on to completion. THE CRITICS. Neither of the local daily papers is reconciled to the inevitable by the confident attitude of the Government. “The South Island Main Trunk lines and branches last year,” says, the Dominion, “earned the modest rate of 18s 3d per cent, on their capital expenditure. It is rather a wide margin to bring this up to the rosy estimate of 5 per cent, estimated by the deputation. However, the Prime Minister swallowed everything with cheerful unconcern. Apparently he had made up his mind and “hang the consequences.” The Post, not having committed itself so. definitely as its contemporary, as to,, denunciation of the undertaking, expresses itself less emphatically. “If the 5 per cent, is really there,” it says, “let the Government show that it js there, and thus turn critics into supporters, and make it clear to the London lender that loan money is spent on works that are not only reproductive, but which are, in fact, giltedged investments.” * Sir Joseph appears unperturbed by either of his critics. THE INITIAL TALK. It was generally expected that the Address-in-Reply debate would be concluded on Friday, but an adjournment for the week-end at 5.30 p.m. left a number of members with their little pieces unspoken, and now the Prime Minister expects the superfluous talking to go on until Thursday, when way will have to be made for the report of the Select Committee on Standing Orders. Though much time has been wasted, as usual, over the “Address,” it has to be admitted that the speeches generally have been better than those usually heard so early in the life of a new Parliament. The young man from Motueka, Mr. G. C. Black, acquitted himself particularly well on Friday afternoon, demonstrating again that there is etill a place for youth in the counsels of the nation. At the same sitting of the House the Hon. E. A. Ransom, the Minister of Public Works, fully held his own, even when the Leader of the Opposition joined in the heckling to which he was at times < subjected. PROPOSED GAMING ACT. The Rev. J. R. Blanchard, preaching in St. John’s Presbyterian Church here yesterday, opened the campaign against the new Gaming Bill, which, he said, would be introduced in Parliament this week. The features of the Bill, he told his congregation, would be the addition of the publication of dividends and the telegraphing of investments to.the existing “pernicious legislation.” “The legislators of to-day,” the .preacher declared, “will be doing the Dominion a grave moral injury if they consent to an amendment to the Gaming Act which will undoubtedly open the door for such evils.” !