HOME POLITICS.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16479, 24 March 1919, Page 7

HOME POLITICS.

A UNIONIST VICTORY.

(Br Cabl®.—Press Association.—Copyright) (Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association.) (Received March 23rd, 5.5 p.m.) March 17. The by-election for North Londonderry resulted as under:—' Barrie (Unionist) ... 9933 McGilligan (Sinn Fein) ... 4333

COMMUNICATIONS BILL

(Received March 5.5 p.m.) LONDON. March 22

Sir Auckland Geddes, in the House of Commons, in moving the second reading of the Ways and Communications Bill, said a regenerated system of transport was essential for housing, health, agriculture, and a great variety of other problems on which the future of the country depended. Tho present system was wasteful, disorganised, and semi-paralysed. Private interest must yield to the State's interest. Private enterprise meant colossal waste. He was not committed to the nationalisation of the railways and other methods of transport, but it might be necessary to adopt it some day as the only way of obtaining an economical unified system. New working costs, due to wages and other high charges, would cripple British industries unless some method were found' of keeping freight.-) and fares down.

Sir Auckland Geddes said it was estimated that unity of control of the railways would result in a saving of twenty millions yearly, but something more drastic was necessary. The greatest saving could bo offected by the introduction of electricity. Tho waste on empty haulage, which before the war was colossal, would bo largely eliminated by the Government acquiring seven hundred thousand private waggons, which were often travelling empty. The railways, which' at present were working At a loss of £250,000 daily, would receive the Government subsidy for a further two years, in accordance the plodge given at tho outbreak of the war. The development of motor traction was involving the keeping of roads in good condition in the most impotrant agricultural districts. Mr T. P. O'Connor, in moving the rojection of tho Bill, said that practically every dock and harbour authority in the United Qingdom was up in arms against tho Bill. Mr J. H. Thomas announced Labour's general support of the princinles of the Bill.

Sir Donald McLean approved of the measure. It was desirable, he said, to chock unnecessary competition, but competition at the docks in the past fostered shipping. Mr E. Short said the whole intention rf the Bill was to have a broad, (national outlook in developing traffic, instead of local competition. The question of nationalisation must be determined by the House of Commons. It was impossible for the railways to return to the system of unfettered competition.