SOUTH ISLAND COMPLAINT

Taranaki Daily News, 6 December 1930, Page 7

SOUTH ISLAND COMPLAINT

ROAD-MAKING EXPENDITURE.

UNFAIR TREATMJENT ALLEGED.

By Telegraph.—Press Association.

Invercargill, Last Night.

‘Tn view of the facts that,, notwithstanding the present stringent financial position. Public Works in the North..- Island of a similar character to those m Haast Pass and Lewis Pass are being; carried on, this union recommends the construction of the Haast and Lewis Pass Roads to the favourable consideration of the Government,” was a resolution unanimously carried* by. the delegates at the quarterly meeting of the /South Island Motor Union to-day. Mr. F. W. Freeman, Christchurch, said what he wished to advocate was, an allround tourist route by which motorists could travel from one end of the /South Island to the other if they wished without being separated from their cars. The chairman, Mr. F. W. Johnston, Christchurch, said it seemed that an undue amount of money was being spent in. the North Island in developing the resources. A great amount of money was being spent there on roads and bridges, and “goodness knows how much was spent on the railway station at Auckland.”

“What we deprecate,” added the chairman, “is this expenditure in the North Island to- the detriment of the South.” Mr. B. Falck, Christchurch, said. the completion of the route was of -•<paramount importance to the South Island. The trouble was that the voting power in Parliament was in the North Island. “I think' we should press for jt,” he said. “Money is being spent—no one can hide that—but it is not being spent here. We should get our share.” Mr. M. M. MacDonald, Invercargill, said the ideal for which the union should strive in its recommendations was to endeavour to get certain sections of the work completed arid gradually the whole chain. He referred particularly to the Kingston to Queenstown railway, on which a large sum had already -been spent.