HOUSE DISCUSSES RAILWAYS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 1 October 1927, Page 6

HOUSE DISCUSSES RAILWAYS.

CHEAPER FREIGHTS AND FARES URGED

WELLINGTON, Last Night. The debate on the Railways Statement took place in the House to-day. Sir Joseph Ward considered the statement an excellent one, although he did not agree with all it contained. ‘ Electrification was the right way, he believed. _ The right thing should be done to the motor proprietors in considering how to deal with competition and a reasonable amount should be provided for compensation. The fact that 1,500,000 Jess people had been carried on the railways last year made the ordinary man think. He thought that the percentage of earnings to working expenses had been very wonderful and that the net earnings to capital invested was as much as they could expect, it would be no reflection on the management if a sinking fund were established to wipe out losses on branch lines.

Mr. E. J. Howard (Christchurch South) referred to the advantages of the Diesel electric engine and stressed particularly the economic, running of that system. Some inquiry should be made into the suitability of Diesel electric engines for use on New Zealand linos. He believed that our hope lay in transportation and cheapening the cost of freight and passenger services. There should be a department of transport to study all details of transportation. Mr. Tapley said it was evident that the Department was endeavouring to keep the -railways up-to-date. Before any large expenditure was incurred the Department’s experts should make the fullest investigations as to what was the best system. It would not be long, he thought, until electricity would play a very considerable part in the Dominion’s railway system. Mr. T. M. Wilford said his objection to the railways of New Zealand was that they were slow, but as far as comfort was concerned, there was little of which to complain. The Railway Board had laid down its policy, but so far they had had little opportunity of carrying it out. The speaker outlined the main planks of the Board’s policy and said he only hoped the Board w'ould live up to it. Mr. Wilford suggested that in the naming of stations, the Department might follow the example of Japan, where the names of the next and last station were displayed. This was very valuable, especially at night.

He firmly believed that New Zealand was lagging behind other countries, so far as. electrification was concerned. About Railway Losses.

Mr. Holland said they had heard something of the losses in other countries, notably South Australia, but they had heard little of losses in New Zealand. He criticised the methods of bookkeeping in the Railway Department and said that the fact that they had to take £429,008 out of the Consolidated Fund to meet losses that had occurred was not made plain to the public. The public should be taken into the conlidcnce of the Government and told that there was a loss. He did not think there would be much of an outcry. The railways, he said, should servo the same purpose as the main roads. They should be made means of com munication with country districts in order to bring primary produce to the main centres of distribution. Dining Cars Again.

Mr. Holland welcomed the return of dining cars on the railways, but expressed hope that the system of organisation would be better than it had been previously.

Mixed trains should be eliminated, as there was considerable danger to passengers carried on trains to which loaded coal trucks were attached, particularly on steeper grades.