RAIL VERSUS MOTOR

Evening Star, Issue 20193, 5 June 1929, Page 13

RAIL VERSUS MOTOR

SOUTH ISLAND MAIN TRUNK FARMERS EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS ‘‘That before proceeding with the extension of the South Island main trunk railway, the Government should satisfy itself that the proposition is economically sound.” This remit for the dominion conference of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union ivas discussed, and carried at yesterday’s meeting of the Otago Provincial Council. Mr A. C. Leary, in endorsing the remit, stated that m many quarters there were doubts as to whether the proposition would pay, and there should certainly be a thorough investigation. Mr J. Preston said that if the project were put through there would necessarily be a good deal of capital expenditure. Many lines were not being utilised to economic advantage. Motors on the road were competing against them, and were beating them for their passenger traffic. They must compete Mntb the lorries. To him the time seemed to do opportune for revising the passenger services instead of having one carriage stuck on the end of a slow goods train. This matter should be gone into belore the question of new lines was considered. Mr M. A. Kinney considered that it was not always necessary to make a railway lino pay, for indirectly it sometimes paid the country fairly well. A railway line could be a big factor in opening up lands, and they must never lose sight of that fact. Mr Barnes (commercial agent for the Railways Department) said that for last year the whole of the railway freight charges were less than £-5,000,000, whereas if the sarao quantity of goods had been carried by road the cost would have been £23,000,000. Therefore, although the department had lost £1,000,000, it had really saved the people £18,000,000. The remit was carried.