RAILWAYS BILL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 11509, 6 November 1912, Page 6

RAILWAYS BILL.

(By Telegraph. — Press Association,)

WELLINGTON, Tuesday,

In the House to-day, the Hon. W. Eraser moved tho second reading of the Railways Authorisation Bill. The idea of tho Bill, ho said, was to enable the Department to make surveys and estimate the probablo cost of contemplated lines. In most of the lines proposed, he thought that light lines would be found suitable.

Sir Joseph Ward said the Bill was to be commended because it.did not authorise any expenditure on proposed railways. If light lines were adopted the present gauge would havo to bo adhered to, and. the whole matter would have to be gone into carefully. Tho experience of New Zealand was that light lines were ultimately the most expensive system of construction. If private people wero to be allowed to construct light lines thero would be a great deal of political jobbery. The estimates this year provided for £600,000 more than was spent on public works last year, yet it was rumoured that work F« 3 to be stopped ou several lines.

*lr W. 6. Buchanan declared that there wero three lines, at Picton, Nelson and Kawakawa, on which a million sterling had been lost.

Mr Anderson advocated the better mont of the system on light lines.

Mr R. MeKenzie said that somo of the lines were political lines of the worst description.