RAILWAY ACCIDENTS

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22464, 27 July 1938, Page 12

RAILWAY ACCIDENTS

DERAILMENTS UNDER BOARD AND MINISTERIAL CONTROL

[From C - .;- Parliamentary Reporter.]

WELLINGTON, July 26,

An allegation by Mr J. Hargest (National, Awarua) that railway accidents had increased since Labour had come into office was replied to by Mr J. B. F. Cotterill (Government, Wanganui) during the debate on the Financial Statement, in the House or Ke presentatives to-day. Mr Cotterill said he had taken the trouble to look into the figures, which apparently was more than Mr Hargest had done. The records of the department showed that derailments during the last !3years averaged 30.2, and during the last two years the average had been 30. During the last year of Railways Board control there had been the largest number of main line accidents in the history of the department. There had been 42 passenger and 43 non-pas-senger derailments, and 12 of the P** s senger derailments were because of defects in the rolling-stock. That was the record, and was double the aver age for the previous 10 years. Mr Cotterill said he had been in the employ of the railway service at that time, and he knew thatt he policy of the board led to an. extension of all overhaul cgriods. A rise in the number of defects of rolling stock had follow ed. The Labour Government had had to spend a lot of money to make up for deficiencies consequent on the board’s policy. “There is still a lot to be done to overtake the accumulation of work," added Mr Cotterill.