DISMANTLING OF BRANCH LINES

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29130, 16 February 1960, Page 19

DISMANTLING OF BRANCH LINES

Government Policy

Condemned

The taxpayers of New Zealand should take note of the “irresponsibility” of a Government which is pulling up railway lines that were earning revenue as feeders and at the same time proposing to built a line to Nelson which can only incur considerable losses, said the Member of Parliament for Hurunui (Mr W. H. Gillespie) yesterday when asked to comment on the dismantling of the Rangiora-Oxford line.

“At the present time, by the direction of the Government, several branch railway lines are being dismantled,” he said. “This includes the Oxford branch line with a length of 20 miles, which in the past has given outstanding service to a large farming area, and which, with the rapid development by improved farming methods in the Oxford district, and the considerable expansion in grain production, could have continued to give the same service,’’ said Mr Gillespie. “On the Railways Department’s own figures, the running loss per mile on the Oxford line was less than half the running loss per mile on the main South Island lines," Mr Gillespie continued. The Prime Minister has stated the Government is going to construct a railway line to connect Nelson with the main South Island network at a cost to the taxpayers of £10,500000, said Mr Gillespie. “It is stated that this line will haxe six miles and a half of tunnels and in the absence of information one can only suspect that the tunnel? alone will cost much more than £10,500,000.” “Irresponsibility"

“The taxpayers of New Zealand,” said Mr Gillespie, “should take note of the irresponsibility of a Government which on the one hand is pulling up railway lines that were already connected with the main lines and earning revenue as feeders, and at the same time, for political reasons proposes to build a line to Nelson which can only incur considerable losses in running charges to be paid by the same taxpayers and those of the future.”

“Nelson already has the benefit of a “notional” railway which seems to be giving the trading community of the area satisfaction,” he said.

“This is costing the taxpayers by way of subsidy, more than the running loss per mile of the main South lines.” said Mr Gillespie. “If the proposed line is built it is certain that taxpayers will have to face the payment of much greater losses than at present even assuming that all the produce now carried by the “notional” railway is in fact carried by the proposed new railway."

Mr Gillespie said he could only conclude that if Hurunui had been a marginal seat, the Oxford line would not be pulled up.