BRANCH RAILWAYS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19986, 22 July 1930, Page 11

BRANCH RAILWAYS.

STATEMENT BY MINISTBk. fTfiE PBEBS SjedAl Caiftte*.] WELLINGTON, July 81. A statement regarding the recent tnnouncement to close certain brahch lines and to curtail the services da others was made to-day by the Minister for Bailways (the Hon. W. A. Veltfih). The Minister said he veaa considering proposals made with a view to services being continued subject to a local guarantee against loss on the continued operation of those lines. He would Jje glad to eome to such an arrangement in as many cases as possible. The arrangement would not necessarily be profitable to the Department but mer#ly one to obviate actual working losses, not including interest charges on the , cost of the lines, charges which would in any case continue were the lifies closed. SERVICE TO COMMUNITY. (r&fefts tssoctltiOM nusouic.) WELLINGTON, July 31. Mr U. H. Sterling, General Msttttbger of Railways, while speakifig ftt » smoke concert, said hj« positively '■declined to take a pessimistic view of the railway situation. ' The organisation was on the point Df rendering greater service to the community than ever before. This tfould depend to. a great extent on the loyalty of railway servants, and Be made a striking appeal to them to put it into practieo. He thought they were on the edge of great things, and had never hefore been in such a position to make good. The railway service had rendered in the past, was rendering now, and would in the future render, great service The work they had done was about to bear fruit and tho clouds would roll away.