RAILWAYS MUST PAY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 13990, 20 February 1909, Page 5

RAILWAYS MUST PAY.

THE NEW MINISTER.

WHAT HE INTENDS TO DO.

[lIY TKLKGRAFtt. — PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

Ashuuiiton", Friday. In the course of an interview to-day, the Hon. J. A. Millar, Minister for Railways, emphasised the fact that lie intended to make the railways pay their own interest. Speaking in regard to the general installation of the interlocking and signalling gear ami tablet system, which is now being carried out at a heavy initial cost, and which will entail heavy annual expenditure, Mr. Millar said: "If this work is expected to he done out of the revenue, as is claimed by many writers and speakers, it can't, and has' no right to he. There is only one way in which it, can be done, and that is by an increase of rates. Tt teems unfair to charge the present users with this expenditure, leaving future generations fully equipped lines free of cost. A certain amount of borrowed money will be absolutely necessary, not for maintenance, but for new equipments, which, to my mind, are a fair charge against the future." With reference to increasing the earnings of working railways, Mr. Millar said that the purchase of the Manawatti lino by the State would effect a material reduction in (he cost of haulage. As soon as the necessary crossings and sidings could be completed on it all goods traffic from the north of kketahuna to Wellington would go via the Manawatu lino, thereby saving the heavy cost of haulage over the Rimutaka incline. II was eventually intended to use the Rimutaka line lor through passenger traffic and for Wairarapa goods rathe only. "All goods for above Kketahuna, or, perhaps, Fahiatua," he concluded, "will bo via Manawatu, as the, haulage amounts to nearly Is per lon less than if they wont over Rimutaka."

SAVING ]\' WORKING EXPENSES. [lIY TELKGR.U'H. —I'RKSS ASSOCIATION.] Dtjn'eiux, Friday. At the social tendered hi in to-night MrMillar said lie hoped to make the railways pay interest without a reduction in the services, but if he found that the services had been running for a peirod of years at a loss he would reduce the service to meet the apparent wants of people. By this means and by the utilisation of the Manawatu line in place of the Rimutaka incline lie hoped to be able to effect an enormous saving in working expenses. If the time came when it would bo necessary to raiso the charges he would not be afraid to say so from every platform in the Dominion; but, as far as he saw, there was no necessity for that at present. If it became necessary to make retrenchments in regard to the staff he would do it, although it would be painful to him to have 10 do so.