RAILWAY "CUT"

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIII, Issue 173, 4 September 1919, Page 1

RAILWAY "CUT"

MR RUSSELL OK THE RESTRICTIONS. ! PREMIER SUGGESTS A ROYAL COMMISSION. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Cqusiddrable ingenuity and wit were shown by the Hon. G. W. Russell in the House of Representatives in seeking to obtain an enquiry into the railway conditions. It <m a motion, to set up a Railway* Oral* inittee. a question usually passed W silence. • Mr Russell said be wished to move an amendmen..' to the motion setting up a committee instructing it to consider a aeries of questions which were brieflyTh e chaotic railway setvice; the cut — who wae responsible? ; restriction of passenger traffic; • coal supplies; working condition oi engines and the tolling stock; number and efficiency of the locomotive staff; number of resignations; effects of the war on the staff; and the efficiency of service. He had proposed that the committee should be enlarged W 2P members for the purpose of this spttSW inquiry, but according to the. ruling y ■ thp Speaker he could not make sojm ditiou to the committee without gnflMf notice. I n the past six weeks".tgp service had gone back 30 years. - •.■Hal did not place the responsibility «P the Minister of Railway* ; though he was ai the he had under him a trained and experienced staff, one of whom received a salary of £3OOO a year.

Mr speaker mnmateo vu«i . * motion to set up a commjt.ee «*: cussion must be confined to the > sonneF of the committee. Mr Russell considered i! was Mm© that a new precedent was set. “Bob since that, is the ruling I will diaouSS the personnel of the committ-ee. i ' . Mr Bollard's name. Mr BoUerd, I am sure will understand, as a tamer of Cambridge. the inconvenience 1 which the farming community has’bdseft subjpctfd. Mr I'tirr, of Aticklfln.d> would be quite ready Po enquiry .in£»o the hardships caused by the Auckland High School boys and girls being unable to proceed to their homes fpr the vacation. The Hon. Mr Myen* m - ; quite prepared to discuw of my motion.” ?•, Jfr Speaker: The bon. member must not discuss bis motioj). .* Mr Russell; I was only going to say Mr Myers would have a dear <®u- ■ • oflption of what are essentia! and 1 wqj|* are not essentia goods for cMTiag© an the railways (laughter). Mr Nash, # Palmerston North would anderatand the trouble to which resident's.# tp|t town had been put in trying to get J# Wellington—how they had had to awS* a gold braided gentleman and , ..be practically called Hals. , I The Speaker said Mr Bussell’s nto* tions did not appear to be out al - v order but it. was practically covered by the pi'esent motion setting up., a f - committee to examine and report nppn questions relating to the railways.' Mr Russell said the Railway s Com* - mittee had no power of initiative, "f ’ ' i The Prime Minister said be P?9P 0S " ed to ask his colleagues to appoint * Royal Commission to enquire into the natters mentionedMr Wilford: I hope yo« will do, it quickly and not give' thenjoiytor#* notice as you did in my case. Mr Massey: This is a serious mat** ter' (laughter). They wanted to know what were the causes and who Wja rcs'-ousible. As to the rolling stock * ho had made enquiries and was assured tha+. it was never better than, at the present time. Advantage had ,' hieSh taken of the cut to pu,t the stock into , the workshops. He did not believe any committee of fflie House would have time to make an inquiry daring the session. It should made by a properly constituted commissjon of im- J partial* men with no suggestion of . party coming in. Sir Joseph Ward asked if the Prime Minister intended to retain the JRajl* ways portfolio, or was he holding. temporarily? Mr Massey : It is not intcodect««*o be a temporary one. I hope' the position for the next six or seven years. (Laughter).

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