THE DOMINION'S RAILWAYS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18194, 3 October 1924, Page 11

THE DOMINION'S RAILWAYS.

♦- i ; | programme of new I WORKS. I ! OVER £8.000 ; 000 TO BE SPENT. MINISTER'S COMPREHENSIVE REPORT. I ; ' | ~7ZdkL ,TO "THE TEES 3.' ,• WELLINGTON,-October 2. The report by the Hon. J. G. Coates, Minister of Railways, on the programme of improvements and new works in connexion with tho Dominion's rai'ways was laid on the table of the House of Representatives to-day. The report is summarised, and in some cases direct quotations are given' from it, below. The Canterbury, matters, inclcding the decision to duplicate the Lyttclton tunnel, are dealt with in a separate news article in this issue. Determining Factors. In 1011 ;i scheme was authorised for the purpose of bringing the railway system up to date, and able to meet tho transport needs of the community. The railway facilities were then admittedly inadequate. The war with its larger obligations intervened, demands for facilities became more pressing, and it was felt that nothing short of a comprehensive survey, backed by complete and exac-t data, will enable a programme to be evolved and carried out which would meet the very extensive requirements of the system. In drafting the programme the Minister has endeavoured to lay aside all political considerations based on the' rivalry of different geographical areas, or the pressure of organisations whoso chief function is to advocate expenditure without regard to the financial resources of the ■ Dominion or any proper sense of perspective as to the relative claims of various items of railway improvement. He has allowed no influence to operate other than the strict, test of tho merits of each proposal as .ascertained by statistics under such headings as: Cost of dealing with traffic with existing' terminal facilities as compared with the improvements proposed; Cost of haulage over existing lines as compared with 'the suggested alterations to *the lines by grade-easements, cr otherwise; and The. economics that may be effected by introducing automatic signalling, electric lighting, shop improvements, etc.' In one or two instances-other factors have had a -bearing on the. Minister's decisions and in such cases he makes particular reference to those factors in respect of the specific items. To meet all the requirements considered desirable by the Department would involve a" total expenditure of approximately £13,000,000. Cost of Works Proposed. The cost of the works proposed is approximately £5,000,000, and the programme has been laid out so as to apportion the expenditure, as far as possible, evenly over a period of eight years. This •is in addition to the expenditure for rolling stock, new equipment, housing, and minor ■ improvements covered by the annual appropriations for additions • to open lines. Tin an rial Considerations. Considerations of finance, alone quite preclude all the proposed works being undertaken of even sanctioned immediately, and in dealing with the commitments embodied in the present programme the procedure has necessarily been one of. selection based on the principle of utilising the funds that the Minister of Finance has available for these and other work?, to the very best "advantage not only of the Railway Department alone, but in tae interests of thg Dominion as a whole— I have therefore endeavoured to survey ■ the country *s whole developmental programme as affecting not only the working railways, but also railway construction, hydro-elect rjcity, telephone, telegraph, and wireless extension, irrigation, roads, public buildings, etc., an,d have suggested in some cases small curtailments in, connexion with these latter activities. For instance, railway construction, I believe, should be reduced from aa approximate annual expenditure of £.1,400,000 —at which it has sto<?d for the past four years—to £1,200,000, and not exceed that snm for the nest seven or eight yeaxs. This sum will be sufficient to carry on at a reasonable rate of progress. The £200,000 thus made available is to bo devoted to railway-improvement. Similar action has been taken in connexion with the other heads of Government expenditure, and I estimate that by reducing slightly the amounts usually spent on other "development-works the total borrowing in a.ny one year will not greatly exceed —if, indeed,. it 'will exceed —the present rate of borrowing. Sucii a courso of action will also have the advantage of making available for the railway works a portion of the labour now engaged on -other works, an<3 will have tho effect of avoiding anv serious disturbance of the flow of labour in the Dominion.

Effect of Inadequate Facilities. Commenting on the proposals generally, I desire to say that even during the comparatively short period that I have had control of the Railway Department I have myself observed " sufficient to enable me lo fully appreciate the difficulties under which the work of the Department has been tarried on owing to the inadequacy of the facilities. The management and the staff have been carrying on for some vcaxs .under circumstances of Teat difficulty, and I am satisfied that they have done the best that was possible to give the fullest measure of satisfaction to the public. I feel bound to conclude that, apart from other considerations affecting the proposed works, it would be unreasonable to expect the General Manager and his staff to continue to operate the railwavs under present conditions without a reasonable hope of obtaining the facilities - which will enable them to «ive a full measure of satisfaction. Unsatisfactory working facilities make for discontent among the staff, and the desirability of ensuring contentment among the* staff and a feeling of pride jn their concern is an important factor that I'have had continually in mind in dealing with the proposals. I doubt if the public' adequately appreciates the significance of the fact that the Department is endeavouring with facilities little improved over those "existing in 1914 to handle a traffic substantially greater than in the year mentioned. When the 1914 programme of works was' formulated, the facilities existing wero considered to be totally inadequate, and the difficulties being experienced'at the present time may be gauged by the fact that since the 1914 report, SOIJ- additional miles have been opened for traffic. - In addition to

this, traffic is being carried on 149Jmiles at present under the jurisdiction of the Public Works Department, which will thro— an increased burden 021 tne i terminal and sub-terminal facilities, and renders increased accommodation 1 still more necessary. "Within the period of eight years over which my present proposals are spread, a further 421 miles of line will in all probability be completed and taken over by the Working Railways Department. The above developments make the question of terminal facilities at Auckland, Wellington, and Christchureh particularly* urgent. For instance, til'* increase in mileage actually connected with the port of Auckland since 1011 has been 137 miles; and by the year 1931 a further length of 220 miles w-il] be added, without taking into consideration the Taranaki connexion now in corn-re of construction. Since 1911, the length of additional railway connected with the system centring upon Christchureh is 166 miles, and a further 60 miles will in ali probability be added by the year 1931. After the most mature deliberation on the proposals I do not hesitate to assure the taxpayers of the Dominion that they need have no misgivings a 5 to the expenditure, as I am satisfied that, from the point of view of return on the outlay the proposals will amply justify themselves. Tn tables that follow arc shown the works authorised under the Railways Improvement Authorisation Act, 1014. totalling £3,200,00(V, and ■ the. actual works done; expenditure on which totalled £963,685. Generally,- reports in connexion with the works • were prepared in the first instance by the engineering, mechanical, transportation, tariff, signals, and other officers of the Department, and subjected to thorough examination by the General' Manager before'being finally concurred with and submitted to the Government. Apart from the improved working conditions and facilities for the'public, many of the works will pay interest ranging from 5 to 17 per cent, on' cost. The Proposed New Works. The following table gives particulars of the proposed new works, including the cost of'each:— Total cost. Work. £. Auckland -'Westfield duplication .. • • 450,000 Auckland new yard ■ • 550,000 Pa.eroa, rearrangement • . , 45,000 Palmerston North deviation. .■ 300,000 Wellington new yard . . 1,075,000 Tawa Flat, deviation .. 950,000 Feliehefc Bay deviation .. 40,000 Elmer Lane depot .. .. 40,000 Electric lighting '•■ 75,000 Woolstou marshalling yard, Ohristchurch - Lyttelton : works, and Lyttelton double-line tunnel . . 515,000 Hutfc Valley railway -. 100,000 Taihape station ~ •3,000 Hawera .. • • 20,000 Hikurangi .. •> B>so° 8 > 5 0° New Plymouth works .. 10,000 Marton station ■ • < • 15,000 Huntly rearrangement .. 40,000 Studholmc rearrangement 12,000 New Lynn duplication 616,000 Helensville' rearrangement . 3 0.000 Timaru rearrangement 7a;000 Prankton additions •. 10,000 Penrose-Papakura doubling .. , 80,000 Palmerston - Marton • grade easement .. • • <.>0,000 Nraruawahia-Frankt on double Greymouth rearrangement .. Wajiganui rearrangement ■. 10,000 Frankton-Tc Kuiti grade easedent • * * «000 Taupiri rearrangement .. 'nnn Taumarnnuj. rearrangement.. -j,OOO Palmerston. North - Whaka.- ' Tonga deviation - • 50,000 Hastings rearrangement .w 50,000 Stratford rearrangement .. M,UUU Morrinsville rearrangement., 11,000 Otorohanga rearrangement .. 10,000 Bimntaka deviation I>°o<M>oo Kakaia rearrangement .. 10,ww Ohinewai-Runtly duplication 40,000 Merccr-Frankton grading _ .. 10,000 Elimination of level-crossings -00,000 Bridge-strengthening • • 0U ' UUJ Signals and electrical, telephones, telegraphs, and interlocking .. •• 710,000 Locomotive branch departments—Workshops and equipment ... •• 60 000 I Miscellaneous 3 j • • • £8,081,500 ! The espenditnifc. each year during the eight' years the whole scheme is to be spread'over is, as follows: First' year • ■ —■ ■ WOO Second year • • • • Third'year •• Fourth year •• ..-1,190,000 Fifth'year •• Sixth'year •• •• Seventh year-• fiTOnnO' Eighth year • • .■ • ■ 679,000 1 Signals and Electrical. The proposed expenditure tinder this heading is £710,000,. to be spread over a period of five years. The P eru>nce gained m connexion with the threeposition automatic signals on the Wel-lington-Upper Hutt line, and the threelight automatic signals on the Christ-church-Arthur's Pass line, both in respect, .of efficiency and economy Has shown that the system is satisfactory, reliable, and economical. Automatic signalling is at present being insta. Jed between Auckland and Mercer, and it is proposed to extend it to Marton at a cost of £400,000 spread over five years. The electrification of the P e^ ne ' 'Addington, Hillside, Invercargill, East Town, and Napier locomotive worksnope, which will effect a very considerable saving in actual running costs, and greatly increase the efficiency and output from the machinery, is to cost £70,000. . Locomotive Branch.

Expenditure proposed under L-is heading totals £.460,000. It inc-udes £38,300 to be spent at the Addmgton Workshops in the extension of the shops, foundry, alterations for electrification, ■new office foi- foreman, and additional sidings. „ . Workshop equipment, £108,000: for smoke-diffusing plant, machinery, and coaling-cranes an expenditure o £45,000 is proposed. This is to provide for the purchase of machinery for Newmarket, PeVne, East Town, : apier, Addington, Hillside, InvercargiLl, Greymouth, Nelson, Picton, and Westport. . • Central Workshops Required. The position in regard to workshops is similar* to that obtaining in connexion witii- locomotive depots. They are cramped in respect of room. The congestion, which is almost of daily ooc r " reaee, is such as to maie it impossible to obtain the same standard of results in respect to economy as would be practicable if proper accommodation and improved facilities were available. Notwithstanding the fact that a number of modern machines have been installed in the more important workshops dunng the last five years, much of the present equipment, being slower than ( modern machines, is incapable of turning out the quantity of work that could be dealt ' with by up-to-date machines. £IOB,OOO is included in the schedule for the purchase of machinery, and. it is essential in the interests of efficiencyand economy that the expenditure be authorised in order that- new machines may be installed when the workshops are being electrified. It wii* be ucco>s ' sary in .the not distant future, owing to the limited capacity "of the existing workshops and the impossibility ot enlarging them to any 'material 'extent, to

give serious consideration fr. tip .-j ncs . tioa of erecting a central workshop in each island with up-to-date equipment ror budding new locomotives, repairing those m service, and for the construe new cars and waggons, a portion Oi tQe present workshops being r et n *nI cd ior carrying out repair work onlv. i ,nnn" tima l Cd that . a leak | per innutn in ovcrhrad cha-Ts a.one would be effected by the establish--OTIG ce:Q tr3] ■workshop in each if la iid, while the output, of rolling-stock would be creatly increased, and the worivj standardised to a far greater extent than is practicable at the present time: also, a reduction in th<- cost of output would be assured. Electric Lighting. The electric lighting involves the nrovision of lighting at 261 to cos., m round figures £50,000, and S9O houses ; to cost in round figures £24 OQO, viz.— Stations. Houses. Auckland district ~~ Ohakune district .. 12 ]l4 district .. ."H 110 Wellington district .. 57 231 Greymouth district .1 .1 " 10 Christchureh district . ] 05 175 Dunediu district .. s ■'.! Invercargill district !! 51 132 The arrangements made will, as far as practicable, provide for a certain number of stations and houses in each district being put in hand each year, so as to reduce to the lowest possible limit a.ny cause for complaint, the most important stations in each district. receiving first attention. The new houses erected for the staff in the various localities are wired in anticipation of electricity being available in the near future, but where supples arc available and the houses are completed connexions will be made at tho time. Elimination of Level Crossings. The Chief Engineer of Railways states:— With the increasing business of the railways and tho rapidly increasing number of motor-vehicles using the railway crossings, the provision of overbridges is becoming more necessarv. An amount of £200,000 has been included in the schedule to allow of an expenditure of, sdy, £40,000 per annum for this purpose. Diagrams attached show that accidents at level crossings are on the increase, chiefly due to motorvehicles. DEBATE ON REPORT. TO BE TAKEN LATER. (srsctAL to "the rajsiis."; WELLINGTON, October 2. ! In tho House of Representatives, the Hon. J. G. Coates, in moving, that tho report be laid on the' table, said it had I not been in any way prepared for the I Commission that was about to visit | New Zealand, and which was to leave Australia on October 9th. The re- j port was prepared prior to the setting ! up of that Commission. No doubt, however, the Commission would give a good deal of consideration to tho re-| port; .indeed, they might go' a good deal further, and have many sugges- | tions to make, and would be able to advise the Government whether they ' considered the proposals in the best interests of our railway system. This programme had been prepared with duo regard to what the Government considered the financial expenditure should be during the next eight years. A member: At what rate? The Minister; Approximately a million a year. None of the proposed works, he continued, would show a profit of less than 5, per cent., and some of' them would show a profit of 17 per cent, on the investment. In other words, the test of merit, had been applied in nearly every case. The General Manager had reported that 13 millions would be required for railway improvements, but the Government considered that the limit they could reasonably go to would be an expenditure of somewhat over £8,000,000. Since the Hilcy scheme was proposed 200 miles of new line had been opened for traffic, and by 1931 or 1932 an additional 427 miles would be added, so that the position would be still more difficult than at present unless the improvements were carried out. We had over £40.000,000 invested in our railways, and he believed that the railways should be in a position to earn interest upon the outlay. If these improvements were carried out, and the rolling stock brought up to date, he was confident that that could be done. At present 25 aew locomotives, which were urgently wanted, • were being ordered from England, but .the Department wanted 35 to handle the present traffic satisfactorily. Notwithstandthe fact that. 25 were being ordered from England, the New Zealand shops would Etill be kept going at high pressure. Tho Lyttelton Line. Mr Wilford complained that the House was in ignorance of what the report contained. It was probably mere window-dressing to carry the Reform Government on for a month or two longer. He congratulated tho Government, on their convenient way of evading criticism. Mr D. G. Sullivan said that under Mr Hiley's scheme there had been almost infinitesimal expenditure in so far as Christchureh city was concerned. This was not equitable in comparison, with what had been expended m Auckland. What was wanted was now an indication of when the works would be commenced. .The Christchurch-Lyttel-ton line was peculiarly worthy of energetic action on the part of the overn meat. He supported tho appeal that had been made for the electrification of the line. Mr T K. Sidev said bo hoped the Minister would tell them whether this pro Dosed expenditure of £ 1,000,000 a year would be in addition _ to the o-her moneys spent under the ordinary Public Works railway construction. Mr G. Witty put in a plea the manufacture of engines locally, roth at Messrs Price's works and at Adamgton. He added, in connexion with the Ohristchurch- Lyttelton line, that promises had been made and not earned out. The Minister: I never made any promises. Mr H. T. Armstrong said he die not think too much had been spent in Auckland, but he protested against the way Canterbury had been neglected. Mr L. M. Isitt said it seemed almost an absm-ditv to debate this question, because apparently it -was now settled. However, he hoped that the Minister would see that the Canterbury "works progressed, whatever happened *.o . any otter district. Early Start Urged. Mr J. McCombs congratulated the Minister on the very comprehensive programme of works he was bringing down. He hoped'to congratulate him in the near future on having tackled some of the more urgently-required works in the Dominion. He was pleased

to know that they were to have a' new railway station at Lyttelton as well as an entirely new lay-out of"the Lyttelton yard; also a new'yard at Christchurch and improvements at Addington. Ho was pleased to hear of the.new programme of works, but he had an uncomforta.ble feeling that the programme of 1914 had not yet been completed. He now asked himself how much nearer they were to a. start being made with the new programme. . There were still two millions of the money raised under the Hiley scheme available. He took it that this scheme proposed to authorise an additional six millions, makings eight milligns .in all, but the rale of a. million a year was not going to-get them forward very rapidly. He hoped, Lowever, to be in a position to compliment the present Minister, not only with having produced a programme, .but with having achieved something in connexion with that programme of works. Naturally, there was not a final pronounce-; ment in regard to the electrification of the Lyttelton line. It was interesting to know that there was to be a duplication of'the tunnel, but the Lyttelton people who had to travel to and from Christchureh six days a, week would be interested to learn whether the Minister proposed to electrify tho line. He was hopeful that the report of Messrs Mertz and McLellan would be favourable. He wished to whole-heartedly complin en t the Minister on having gone as far as he had. It was not only in the interests of Christchureh and Lyttelton, but. of the whole of Canterbury and the South Island, thiat they should have improved facilities between Lyttelton and Christchurch. Port Chalmers Claim. Mr J. McC. Dickson said be had . received a communication from the Port Chalmers ■■ Progressive League -asking him to again urge upon the Government the necessity for improvements in the Port Chalmers line. They asked that the present duplication should not stop at Burke's, but should be" carried as far as Port Chalmers. The member.for Lyttelton had stated that .Lyttelton was the principal port of the South Island, but if Port Chalmers could not claim to be the principal port it was. at least the one that served Otagb. The wharves there ' belonged to the Government, which received, the revenue from them. a large number of Dunedin people \vould go to; live along the harbour if the port line were duplicated. Mr Holland said he hoped that the report would provide for a progressive policy right through New Zealand. He took this viewpoint that even the Lyttelton tunnel - was a ' Dominion matter. The East Coast Railway, too, was one of the most important works that the country had to face. In regard to locomotives he thought thiat every one that could be built in New Zealand should be built here, and that they should be designed for burning New Zealand coal. Other members spoke mainly'.about their local interests. Minister's Esply. Mr Coates was left only a-very few minutes for his reply. In regard to., engines he, said that the shortage in 1925 would be 43, and the capacity of New Zealand production was only 18 a year. The Department. had decided to order 25 at once. Even with tlie speeding up -of the shops that would leavo a big opening ' for New Zealand manufacturers. If they doubled or trebled their output it would not meet requirements. In .regard to Mr Wilford's comments Mr Coates said ho knew very well that tho House would take the opportunity of discussing the report, and he also knew that it would not satisfy everybody. The report, however, was the result of careful investigations from the point of view of what would pay the country as an investment of its money. - Through a process of concentration good and satisfactory work had been done in regard to public works .in 1922-23, and this year's report would show that further good work'hsd been accomplished &s the' result of .that policy. The proposed programme would not interfere with the Public Works programme of railway construction. If' the Public Works Department could do the work cheaper, then it would be given the work. It was a matter of arrangement between the two Departments. The report was laid on the table just before the dinner adjournment. An opportunity *of discussing it- will be afforded when the. " Public Works Statement *is being considered.