RAILWAY LOSSES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 196, 20 August 1930, Page 10

RAILWAY LOSSES.

CLOSED BRANCH LINES.

POLICY OF GOVERNMENT

HOW THE USERS CAN HELP.

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day.

"It is obviously unjust to-the taxpayers that unprofitable lines should he kept open merely to enable local residents to bargain for lower rates from motor road transport services; if people will only use the railways to an extent which will eliminate operating losses, not even providing interest on capital, these lines can be kept open." These observations were made by the Hon. N W. A. Veitch, Minister of Railways, in an. interview with the "Star's" representative concerning the proposal of the Southland Farmers' Union to organise an indignation meeting to pro- ;

test against the closing of branch railways in that province. "Already in some districts," the Minister added, "local committees have been set up to organise business for the railways, and only to-day I was consulted by. representative's of a district in Canterbury on this matter, and there is a reasonable chance of an arrangement that will enable their local railway to continue operating."

The Minister said it was not for him to decide whether the indignation meeting in Invercargill should be held. No good purpose could be served by that, but lie was only too anxious to'meet representative men from that district to see whether a way could be found for keeping those lines in operation. It was the definite intention'of the Government to relieve the taxpayers of the enormous load of railway losses, especially on branch lines. He suggested that valuable service could be rendered to Southland by holding, a conference of representative citizens to devise means of minimising inconvenience through some method of organising goods traffic and thus guaranteeing the railways against operating losses by bringing business back from road transport.