UNDER REVIEW

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 53, 11 September 1928, Page 13

UNDER REVIEW

RAILWAYS PROGRAMME FRESH PROPOSALS CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGE A review of the whole position in regard to railway developments is contained in- the Bailwaya Statement, the Minister of Eailways (the Eight Hon. J. G. Coates) stating that he has deemed it desirable to present it in viow of the rapid changes now occurring not only in transport matters, but in the producing and commercial situation of the country generally. The comprehensive programme of improvements and new works adopted in 1924 provided for an additional capital expenditure upon railways aggregating £8,000,000, this amount to be spread over a period of ten years. That programme was based largely on the schedule of essential works put forward by Mr. (now Sir) E. H. Hiley (the then General Manager) in his 1914 report. "In presenting my pro - grainmo for 1924," says Mr. Coates, "I emphasised that tho position in regard to works which were urgent in 1914 had become acute during the succeeding decade, the revenue having increased between. 1914 and 1924 by nearly £3,000,000, the passengers carried by 5,000,000, and tho goods traffic by 1;000,000-tons. "The 1924 report was drawn up in consonance with the Government's general policy of national development in regard to, land, hydro-electricity, tolegraphs and telephones, wireless, irrigation, roads, highways, etc., each phase being Teiated to the extensive programme of development of the country's facilities that must proceed if the full resources of the Dominion wore to be applied towards the public welfare. It was pointed out that since 1914 over 200 miles had been taken over by the Working Eailways Department, and that during the period of the programme a further' 427 miles would be taken over. LINES TAKEN OVER. "Since the 1924 programme was submitted tho following sections and mileages of line have been taken over by tho working railways:— miles chains Pukemlro to Glen -Afton .... 1 43 Arthur's I'ass to Otlra 8 10 Kohuralaht to Tahoni 5 5 Jlakaraka to Nffatapa < 11 40 Westport to Capo Foulwind .. 7 04 Tuatupero to Orawia ...... 8 13 Huarau to Portland .; .. „< 30 41 Whangarel tc Keoreroa .. .. 1 25 To Rotl to Opunake .. „ .. B 7! Glcnliopo to Kawatlrl ...... 3 70 Hutt Hallway deviation . .... 2 65 Hcaumont to Roxburgh .... 24 0 Walhi to Taneatun .. .... 10S 66 Waiottra to Kirikapunl ':.. .. 13 71 Total .. ]. .... .." 250 50 Less Walrlo to Nightcaps (lifted) 2 14 Net total 248 36 "This extra mileage has drawn further upon the rolling-stock resources of the system and has accentuated the necessity for the adoption of methods to secure operating improvements. "Notwithstanding the very heavy commitments necessary in the first year of the programme, the Government added to these by deciding to proceed with a complete reorganisation of its locomotive workshops. "Experience gained during recent years from a study of the rapidly--1 changing conditions in the field of transport, whilst fully justifying tho policy that had* been laid down, calls for an amplification of the original programme, and, in addition, expanding business in new directions requires additional facilities. For instance, in regard to tho 'future of tourist . and special services, we look for an increase in this class of business, and efforts are being made to provide accommodation sufficiently satisfactory to attract and hold our customers. The standard of. service demanded is becoming higher year by year—partly due to other forms of transport necessitating the extension of facilities, in keeping with the times, to ensure more economical and efficient servico to the public. "In preparing the above sehedulo each individual work was exhaustively examined and classified according to its urgency, and the wisdom of this | course of action lias been fully borne out in practice. ELECTRIFICATION AT TERMINI. '''The whole scheme was entirely based on economic grounds, and looked upon as a necessary investment. It has now become apparent that developments in new directions, for which no provision was made in the original programme, have become essential, the most important being electrification. at the important termini, a subject1 which I have now under consideration. - "These changed conditions have necessitated a complete review of the -works contemplated, and I have asked the General Manager to arrange f pr fresh proposals to be formulated, in classified order of urgency, based on present-day working conditions, and having regard to the changed circumstances in many phases of our transport system. "As with the workshops reorganisation, the whole of tho proposals contained in the programme of work set out in thoTX-^a statement of 1924 were adopted because of their justification from the point of view of increased efficiency and economy in the Department's working. The Department found itself hamperedjin. the discharge of its functions by inadequate and obsolete facilities not only in the matter of wdrkshops space and equipment, but also in tho matter of station arrangements, sas set put in' the statement to which I have referred. "Particularly in connection with station improvements, ' the. -recognition can no longer be postponed of the fact that the standard of the public demand' in matters of transport has been considerably raised within recent times, and what in the past was accepted with a reasonable measure of. satisfaction by the public is now' Utterly rejected and made the subject of criticism that

has' a direct reflex in a' tendency to transfer the business to.other forms of transport. ■' ' . "' ' ■ : RISING TO THE OCCASION". "With. -the introduction■ of new methods of transport, particularly in connection with > motors,. together with the high development of luxury associated'with marine transport, to the ex-' tent that we now have what are often referred to as 'floating palaces' conyeying people between various parts of the world,: the psychological atmosphere of the transport'industry has undergone- a rapid and nhnost startling change. ' ,'Th'c railways, if they'ave. to maintain their place iw the community,, have: to face this.fact, and tho question inevitably arises as to whether. . the railway transport organisations are willing to rise to the occasion, and meet tlie altered conditions, or | whether they prefer to drift and allow their business to be diverted into other channels. More particularly in a State-owned institution, such as tho railways in this country, whore tho final test must bo the public satisfaction, the. policy of drift is absolutely untenable. This in itself would have justified action along the line of improved facilities such, as are embodied in tho workshops reorganisation and D.-2a of 301 M, but, when wo have added to that the investment factor and the welfare and comfort of the staff, with the reflected higher stato of rJlicirnoy, tho caso for tlio nxpiMulUure involved in. these programmes become unanswerable."