THE ARAPUNI TROUBLE.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 December 1930, Page 6

THE ARAPUNI TROUBLE.

It is not surprising that the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. J. G. Coates, should draw attention to the troubles at Arapuni. His assertion that the cessation of work at that station and the delay in commencing repairs is due to political prejudice is scarcely justifiable. The faults jin the system that made it necessary to close down the works are too serious for anything like undue hurry. There was general concurrence in the proposal to obtain the best expert advice available, and the Government cannot be accused of any undue delay in doing so. The recommendations of the consulted authority represent an expenditure of another £500,000 on the Arapuni scheme, and the Minister of Public Works is perfectly justified in demanding that every possible test of the proposed renovations shall be made before the country is committed to this further huge expenditure. It may be that the engineers’ original plans were all that coiild have been expected from data then known or obtainable, and that the visiting expert did not in any way blame them for the breakdown. Wliat the taxpayer recognises most is tliat an elaborate scheme came to grief and cannot be resuscitated except at heavy cost. He has.a right to demand that,fuller tests be made of the amended scheme than ever before, and it is work that cannot be hurried. The financial needs of the Ministry are such as to make unlikely any postponement for mere political reasons of the, task of making Arapuni once more revenue producing. Until tests are completed there seems little that can be .made public with 1 advantage, though it is possible that Mr. Coates? criticism may draw a reply from the Minister of Public Works showing what is being done and how far the new plans have reached.