RAILWAYS BILL

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 69, 18 September 1925, Page 9

RAILWAYS BILL

PASSED •BY H6USE.

The Government .Railways Amendment Bill was before the.. House of Represen-., tatives last ■ night: ' ' .',; ; i

The Minister (the'Hon: J.. G.- Cpates) gave an''outline of the Bill oil' the lines of the' explanation previously given, drawing ' particular to 1 the clause enabling losses on branch lines to be made up - from the, Consolidated Fund; That provision was hew to New Zealand,"' but, , was: in operation "■' else.wherei ■ "■■•■''"■ '■■;';■■■■ ■', ,■ • . ;'-: ■' :'. ■.. '■:'■;

!-The Leader of the Opposition (Mr..G. W.* Forbes) ;wanted tri Know whether an attempt was being niade to counter road competition-/by■>;running motors, on the rails. -BeSuggested that; the 'Department ahpiildkiiot attempt to run ■ motor vehicles on. the, roads, but should enter into contracts' for the transport of: goods and passengers fas the Bill permitted. . .In reply, Mr. Coates ■ said that internal combustion engines were not sa success, on thtf "railways ' owing to the vibration affecting the gears, • but experiments were being /made with a light class of vehicle':which .^would be useful for delivering/newspapers and such like, and carrying eight to ten passengers. So far, however, the truck could not be claimed to be a success

In r Committee •on theßill, Mr. W./A. •yeit'ph (Wariganiii) said he thought the clausß dealing with branch lines was dangerous; as it would enable the Governrnent to run branch lines arid overload the 'Consolidated Fund. The'finances of. the Department could .be swelled and made to appear buoyant by the operation of such a clause. ..'••.'■

■ Mr! Coates said the Treasury would see that, the whole loss was not charged to the Eailway Department. Power w£s contained in the, Billjo say what amount should; be paid over. Losses were' made up now.; from the Consolidated' Fund, but the object of the clause in the Bill was to. make it clear to everyone what amounts were, paid over. . , •'The .-Bill was passed. ■ '