The Gisborne Times PUBLISHD DAILY TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1928. THE UNITED PARTY AND THE RAILWAYS.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10724, 23 October 1928, Page 4

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHD DAILY TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1928. THE UNITED PARTY AND THE RAILWAYS.

It is very plain that the Leader' oi' the United Party is "'confused in' respect ■ of his proposals to remedy this Dominion’s main transport problem. On the one hand, Sir Joseph Ward • claims that £10,000,000 should, at .once, be raised to bring to completion, at as early a date as possible, all the main railway* lines that have already been authorised. He also lays it down, on the other hand, that f ‘no man who lias given the subject serious thought will refuse to admit that the Reform Government is doing an unfair thing to owners of motor tracks by imposing such heavy taxation in the shape of heavy traffic fees.” What tho electors should not he blamed for believing in regard' to this matter is that the United Party is merely blowing hot and cold! Nobody can, of course, honestly deny that motor vehicles are providing a most useful means of transport wherever suitable highways exist. It is also beyond question that motor transport has come •to stay, and that it consituteis a grave menace to the railway systems throughout tho world. The point that requires most urgent consideration on the part of all political parties is Then this: whether or not an effort should ho made, in the face of the strenuous motor transport rivalry that is now being experienced, to maintain the present elaborate railway services? It is futile on Sir Joseph Ward’s part to suggest adding £10,000,000 to the extent of the capital moneys invested in the system if his party intends, should it lie voted into power, to allow the railways to become an easy prey for their motor .transport rivals I Had he cut the'amount down by half, his proposal would, unquestionably, not have proved such an outstanding target for criticism. It is, indeed, not improbable that a proposal so reduced might ’ have been attractive to quite a largo section of the electors, provided that he had also made it clear—which he has far from done —that he intended to see that the railways received fair play at the hands of the motor transport companies. Sir Joseph Ward cannot bo on both sides. Ton million pounds will be far too much to spend on additional railway works until it is settled that the system can be made to pay its way against motor transport competition., According to the new railways manager, ' the only thing that can save the railways will be the payment by jnotor transport companies ofi a larger quota, of the cost of the upkeep of the roads. Mr Sterling may,, of course, he right. This journal’s opjnipn is,, however, that, erelong, there may arise the further problem of how To save motor transport enterprise. If the motor transport; companies • ice make,

their ' charges remunerative the railways, under 1 commercial management, might, indeed, have nothing at all to fear, • ,