RAILWAYS AND ROADS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20074, 11 October 1928, Page 10

RAILWAYS AND ROADS.

The problem of competition between railways and road vehicles is so insistent in New Zealand, as in almost every other country, that it is certain to be touched upon in the election campaign. It has intruded into politics in countries where the railways are run by private enterprise—notably in Great Britain—so it cannot very well be kept out in New Zealand, where they are a State institution. It is well, however, that those who attempt to discuss the question should do so in the light of known facts, and not by sweeping generalisations of demonstrable inaccuracy. Observations

made by Mr. E. R. Allen, United Party candidate for Auckland Subr urbs, arc an example of a popular but very fallacious view of tho position. He advocated care in regard to future railway extension, a sound enough suggestion with transport in its present unstable and confused condition. But Mr. Allen proceeded that it would be better to see concrete roads put down, and then the railways would become obsolete. Tt is a strange tiling that one who is seeking tho support of the people should thus cheerfully discuss means of dealing a deathblow to a groat national asset belonging to the people, for the capital cost of which they are directly responsible. Yet this is not all. It was shown in this year's Railways Statement that goods carried by rail in a year at a cost of loss than £'5,000,000 would have cost £'2.'!,000,000 to transport by road, estimated on known ton mile costs. Again, in the Public Works Statement it is shown that in II years road maintenance has cost the country £255 for 1 every motor vehicle running, tho amount recovered in taxation per motor vehicle has been £24. These are sober official statements, not made as political propaganda. They shoAv that whatever the present difficulties of the railways, however far they fall short of perfection, the day when they bocome obsolete will lie a very dear one for New Zealand, unless conditions alter very radically in the meantime. Tt is perfectly true the motor vehicle has its placo in modern transport for the carriage of both passengers and goods ; but it is as yet far from capable of being a satisfactory substitute for the railways, and anybody who suggests it is merely advertises his own lack of acquaintance with the elements of the problem.;