WIDER SCOPE URGED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20593, 18 June 1930, Page 9

WIDER SCOPE URGED.

OVERHAUL OF POLICY.

COST OF NEW LINES.

VIEWS OF BUSINESS MEN.

The opinion that tho order of reference of the Railways Commission did not appear to be sufficiently wide for a full investigation was depressed by Mr.. M. Stewart, president of the Auckland Chamber of Commerco, last evening. There was much detail regarding what the commission was to investigate, but it might all have been summed up in a direction to "tell us how to make the railways

pay-" Mr, Stewart said tho inquiry would deal with matters of internal administration and would disregard constructional policy and capital expenditure. The commission should have been empowered to inquire into all new railway works with a view to seeing whether these were economically sound. In this way all capital expenditure on propositions which it was considered would not pay could be stopped.

Everyone realised that new railway works should not bo proceeded with unless they were economically sound. The investigation appeared to bo one mainly concerned with the operating of tho present system and no doubt many economies could be effected. However, consideration should bo given to tho wider question of policy, as it seemed necessary to change the present policy if the system was to pay. Mr. Stewart said attention should also be paid by the commission to time-tablo revision and tho speeding-up of passenger, especially suburban, services. The Auckland Chamber of Commerce strongly advocated tho placing of tho system under commission control, similar to that operating with tho Canadian National Railways. It was felt that good results would follow the separation of the railways from political control. Referring to tho personnel of the commission. Mr. Stewart said he considered another accountant should have been offered a place on the commission in view of tho inability of Mr. Q. W. Reid, of Dunedin, to accept appointment. In such an investigation the services of an accountant were very necessary. Mr. Stewart said there was reason for satisfaction in tho fact that the problem was beiug dealt with promptly and that a report was to be returned not later than September 1. One excellent phase of inquiry was that dealing with the possible co-ordination of rail and road services.