GOVERNMENT’S RAILWAY POLICY.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18204, 4 March 1929, Page 4

GOVERNMENT’S RAILWAY POLICY.

STATEMENT BY SIR.JOSEPH WARD. By Telegraph—Press Association. GISBORNE, March 3. An interesting light on the Government’s railway policy, with especial reference to the Wairoa-Gisborne line, was afforded by Sir Joseph Ward’s addresses at Gisborne on Saturday. Touching on the local claims for the railway, Sir Joseph said that had he been asked how he would feel were he in the shoes of a district resident his answer would have been that he would be absolutely disgusted with the men in Parliament over the last sixteen years or so. Over twenty years ago he had turned the first sod on the line, and still the work had not been completed. Until that line was completed it would not be the slightest good, and it was not earning one penny of revenue. Instead, during all these twenty years, it had been simply eating up interest. “In a week or ten days,” said Sir Joseph, with great emphasis, “I will settle this rival route question between Gisborne and Wairoa for ever, and any who come after will not be able to undo it. One of the routes must be linked up, and the railway completed.” In three or four years the local line would be finished and Parliament was to be asked to do it The route costing the least money would be decided on. Poverty Bay was a very fine district, but it must be linked up with outside districts, and without delay. Once the line was completed, the district would grow in prosperity, as those in the south had done, where all the railways were finished. Thirty years ago this district was in crying need of a line so that closer settlement could be developed. It was an immediate need and not a matter for another ten years; hence uncompleted railways all needed finishing, and then they would be giving back some revenue for the money sunk in them. There was only one way to make a railway—fix a time limit and see that it was adhered to. “New Zealand needs more settlers and we must spend more money on the railways. That was one of the first things Parliament should do. Though it would cost £10,000,000 during the next three or four years, all railways should be completed, and in them the country would have a great asset. It is only sound economics, that we should begin as early as possible to get some return for the money. If it was worth while starting any railway, then surely it is worth while finishing it.” Continuing, Sir Joseph strongly condemned the system of construction by sections which had grown up in the Dominion. He had been astounded on his way through to Gisborne to see small disjointed pieces every here and there; to see preparations for viaducts made and then no viaducts. The correct plan was to call tenders for the construction of viaducts, and when the rest of the line was ready they would have the complete construction.