THE OTIRA LINE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11756, 21 July 1916, Page 6

THE OTIRA LINE.

AUCKLAND NEWSPAPER JEALOUSY. Commenting on the Public Works Statement the "New Zealand Herald" says.— •' if wo take tho East Coast construction, which would add another Taranaki to the Dominion, and compare it with the Otini Tunnel, which eannot increase production by a log of timber, a bale of wool, a ton of coal, or a pound of butter, we have a special cause for complaint. In this year of financial economy the voracious maw of tho Midland tunnel is to swallow up another £60,000, making £130,000 thrown into it since fhe Avar began. Only £51,000 is allotted to the East Coast from Auckland to far-off Gisoorne. Granted that it is impossible to find more money for all Dominion railway construction, can it be considered national economy to spend less on opening up the Fast Coast, region than on boring a tunnel in the Southern Alps to complete that hopelessly, unprofitable line, the Midland?"