RAIL VERSUS MOTOR TRANSPORT

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 7, 3 October 1927, Page 8

RAIL VERSUS MOTOR TRANSPORT

WHAT THE FARMER MUST REALISE

PRIME MINISTER’S SOLEMN

WARNING

A warning to farmers was thrown out by the Minister of Railways (Rt. Hon. .1. G. Coates) in the House on Saturday morning, when replying to the prophecy of Mr. F. F. Hoddy that the dairy farmers would turn to road transport if the railway time-tables were not adjusted to meet their convenience when daylight saving conies into operation.

“It appears to me,’’ said Mr. Coates, “that road transport, as an alternative, may seem all rignt, and no doubt would meet the requirements of the farmers, but 1 am wondering where the people of New Zealand and particularly the farmers would be under such circumstances. Does the farmer realise that, after all, he has to pay for the road? Does he realise that the cost of the

road is not borne by the machines using it, but bv the rates levied to meet the loans? What is pressing upon the farmer to-day more than anything else is the heavy local rating, so that we are getting into a very extraordinary position. . “While we are trying to give the farmer every possible facility in the way of cheap freights lor this and that, motor competition is. loading up the farmer with rates, and the Department is being forced into the position of having to increase railroad rates instead of reducing them and of being unable to afford the facilities asked for. I hope the people will realise that the position is serious, because it is serious.”