REQUESTS FOR RAILWAYS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9675, 18 October 1909, Page 1

REQUESTS FOR RAILWAYS.

-^ — '—+-. — ■■ — • . DEPUTATIONS TO MINISTERS. [Pkr. Pkkss Association.] . WELLINGTON, October 17. A large deputation from Auckland Province waited on the Minister of Public Works .(the 'Hon. R. M'jvenzie) yesterday.. The Prime Minister (6ir Joseph Ward) was also present. Mr G. Peacocke .said the first work which they .desired to bring under tfie notice of the Government as being of great importance was the extension of the North Auckland line, which was really a section of the dominion's main trunk' service. The second work was the construction or the line to connect Auckland with Rotorua via Waihi and the east coast settlements. The third work they desireti to see- pushed on with the greatest expedition was the branch line between the Main Trunk line and Stratford, and connecting with the Main Trunk line at Ongarue. The amount' that the League had decided to ask for was an allocation of £150,000 for the extension of the North Auckland line and £100,000 for the prosecution of the East Coast Railway. | Several other speakers urged that the Main Trunk Railway should be prosecuted as vigorously as possible until it reached its. utmost limits, so as to open up very large areas of valuable and fertile land. Sir Joseph Ward said the desires of the deputation would receive full con- ' sideration at the proper time. As to routes, he said tne Government was not making political . railways, and would not make them: The important interests of the north would receive as much consideration as the Government could afford., recognising the development that had taken place in that part of the dominion. The prosecution of the North Island Trunk Railway was delayed for^ years owing to the differences of opinion as to the route, and the north was yet suffering from that delay. They could not make up for that delay in one year, although they might do a good deal in that direction. He fully recognised the importance of the railways in the. north, and he considered them equally important ,as the North Island Trunk line. The Government was not allowing things to lag. About half the total amount spent yearly on railways was being spent on those lines, and about half the men engaged on" railway construction were at work upon them. That was the best earnest of the sincerity of the Government in this matter. But the country had to be considered as a whole. The Government had done such a lot of work in making roads during the past few years that it would be possible to carry on road construction out of revenue, and thus be enabled to borrow only for railways, which could be pushed on' much quicker than at present. (Applause.)^ The Minister of Public Works also replied to the same effect. He was sure, he said, that no one could object to the present rate of progress on those lines. 1 A railway certainly was required on the East Coast, and it would be prosecuted as fast as funds would permit. As to the Strat-ford-Ongarue line there were more men working on that section than on any other section in New Zealand. He believed that they would get within two miles of Whangamomona by next winter. , Another deputation waited oj^ Sir I Joseph Ward and the Minster of Public Works to urge that a branch railway line should be constructed so as to connect Raetihi with the Main Trunk lino. A trial survey has already been made. Messrs W. T. Jennings, R. W. Smith and W. H. Field, members of Parliament introduced the deputation. It was suggested that the line should be constructed to a point about eight miles from the Main Trunk line. Mr P. Brass explained that if the Government d;"Z not see its way to do what was asked on its own account the settlers -of the district concerned were prepared to make a special rating area and pay interest on the cost of construction of the line. After hearing other speakers Sir Joseph Ward said that the Government was always anxious to help the settlers, but many things regarded as important from a local standpoint were difficult to carry out from a public point

of view. He promised that a -report would be made on the suggested line and then the Cabinet would consider it. He wished' to say, however,' that the Cabinet would not make short stumps of railways eight miles in length. While the .settlers had been very magnanimous in their offer he did not wish to send the deputation away j believing that what they suggested would.be done. A special report would be prepared as soon as possible.