RAILWAY POLICY

Evening Star, Issue 20591, 17 September 1930, Page 6

RAILWAY POLICY

- +.—, HOUSE WANTS DISCUSSION THE ESTIMATES POSTPONED [FjWMC OUR I’ARI.IAItSNXAM REPORTER.] WELLINGTON, September 16. The Government planned to have tho Railway Estimates discussed in the House to-night, but a protest against this procedure before the Railways Statement had been debated was accepted by the Acting-leader, and these estimates were postponed. The point was first raised by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Coates), who said he wished to make a strong protest against taking the votes before the House, had discussed the Railways Statement. Members had five minutes each on the Estimates, but half an hour when discussing the statement, and ho asked Mr Ransom to defer the Estimates Until this discussion had taken place. The whole question of railways’ administration was occupying tho m'inds of the members generally. Mr Howard, supporting from the Labour benches, pointed out that the Railways Statement contained more im portant matter than the Estimates and unless it was fully discussed members could not intelligently pass the money. They must discuss matters of administration, and it was unfair to ask them to do so in five-minute speeches, especias the Railway Department was the greatest losing branch of State enterprise. Mr Ransom (Acting Prime Minister) replied that he had informed the party leaders of his intention, and he thought that it would be possible to take the Railway Estimates under the circumstances, as a number of reports had been held back owing to the amount of business which had to .be transacted prior to the Prime Minister’s departure. The Estimates were considerably behind and it was desirable to pusn on. There would be several opportunities of dealing with the railways, for there was the commission’s report and the report of the Select Committee on Railway Construction. They could not all he left till the end of the session. However, he would agree to postpone the Railway Estimates, and if the House could make better progress as the result, he was not concerned. It was decided to postpone the railways and deal with the Marine Department.