ROLLING STOCK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23161, 6 October 1938, Page 16

ROLLING STOCK

RAILWAYS SERVICE ENGINES AND WAGGONS CONSTRUCTION FIGURES [by telegraph—PßESS association] ' CARTERTON, "Wednesday Reference was mad<? by the Minister of Railways, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, in a speech at Featherston last night to tho effect of the Railway Board's policy on the curtailment pf rolling stock. On March 31, 1930, said the Minister, there,* were' 662 engines in the service. Between- 1931 and 1936 only 49 new engines were built, but 131 were scrapped, so when the present Government resumed, control of the railways there were actually 82 fewer engines available to do the work than were running in 1930. "In the two years since the present Government took the railways in hand 22 new engines have been built and 16 scrapped," said the Minister. "The railway workshops are working to capacity, but figures which I have quoted indicate that lit has not yet been possible to recover all the leeway. "There is a similar position with regard to waggons," continued -&Ir. Sullivan. "At March 31, 1931, there were 27,893 waggons running on the railways. From that date and up to March 31, 1936, when the present Government took control, 2399 waggons were scrapped, but only 1338 were built to replace them. Since April 1, 1936, in the two years of control under the present Government, 1122 new waggons have been provided and ( 356 scrapped, a gain of 766 waggons." • There were about 400 people present at the meeting, the Mayor, Mr. J. W. Card, presiding. The Minister tfas enthusiastically received, the meeting concluding with a vote of thanks and confidence in the Government and the Labour candidate for the district, Mr. B. Roberts.

MR. LEE'S BOOK REPLY TO CRITICISM AUTHOR SPEAKS AT TAIHAPE [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION*] TAIHAPE, Wednesday The Parliamentary TJnder-Secretary in Charge of Housing, Mr. J. A. Lee, addressed an enthusiastic meeting, at the conclusion of which a vote of thanks to the speaker and confidence in the Labour Party and- the Hon. F. Langstone as candidate for thy electorate was passed.

Mr. Lee quoted extensively from his book on Socialism in New Zealand to support his contention that he had been misrepresented by quotations separated from their context. He said Mr. O. C. Mazerigarb had alleged that he had stated criminals* had influenced the character of New Zealand. Mr. Lee read a passage from his book in which he pointed out that he had merely quoted a reference by Charles Darwin to runaway convicts and runaway sailors before settlers camo. He had then referred to vagabonds and adventurers, but vagabonds and adventurers were not criminals. . ,

Mr. Lee added that this reference had appeared on only one page'of nearly 300 pages of the book. The remainder of the pages had been devoted to a eulogy of those who had built up the Dominion, its® pensions and other social services. .

CANDIDATES' ADDRESSES ' MEETINGS FOR TO-DAY The following public election meetings have been announced foi) "to-day, the iiime being 8 p.m. unless otherwise stated: — Auckland Central. —Mr. C. R. Dodd, Manchester Unity Hall, Victoria Street. Auckland East. Mr. F. W. Schramm, M.P., Queen's Parade, Devonport (noon), Cheltenham Tea Kiosk, Devonport (2.30 p.m.), ProSressive Hall, Newmarket; Mr. Harry lerritt, Vauxhall Hall, Devonport. Auckland West. —Mr, J. W. Kealy, Regal Theatre, Ponsonby Road. Auckland Suburbs. —Mr. M. S. Walker, corner of Woodward Road and Springleigh Avenue ,(7 p.m.), Owniraka School; Mrs. Lovegrove, Henderson Town Hall; Mr. F. Allen, Waiatarua Kiosk. '

Eden, —Mr. D. Pool, Centennial Hall, Dominion Road: Mr. W. T. Anderton, M.P., St. Luke s Hall, Mount Albert; Mr. A. E. Robinson, Carlton Hall, Sandringharri Road. Roskill.—Mr. A. S. Richards, M.P., Waikowhai Hall; Mr. A. S. Bailey, Epsom Methodist Hall, Greenwood's Corner. ' ■ . Remuera.—Mr. W. P. Endean. M.P., St. Mary's Hall, Parnell; Mrs. "M. M. Dreaver, Parish Hall. St. Heliers. ■ Grey Lynn. —Mr. J. A. Govan, St. George's Hall, Kingsland. Otahuhu. —Mr. C. R. Petrie, M.P., Parish Hall. Ellerslie; Mr. K. B. Tennent, Panmure Old School. Onehunga.—Mr. A. G. Osborne, M.P., Te Papapa Picture Hall; Mr. J. Park, Green Lane Fire Station . (2.30 p.m.), St. 'George's Hall, Ranfurly Road. *

Waitemata. —Mr. W. J. Lyon, M.P., Glenfield Public Hall (2 p.m.), Waimauku Public Hall; Mr. J. E. Close, Northcote Picture Theatre.

Thames. —Mr. W. A. Clark, Paeroa. Haupaki.— Mr. R. Coulter, M.P., Mangatawhiri; Mr. J. M. Allen, Te Hoe (1.15 p.m.), Te Puninga. Franklin.—-Mr. A. C. A. Sexton, JVLP., Pukeoware Hall (1.30 p.m.), Karaica Hall; Mr. J. N, Mnssev, Star Theatre, Papakuraj Mr. E. Piggott, Aka Aka.

Raglan.—Hon. W. Lee Martin, Rotongaro. ; Waikato.—Mr. J. W. Neate and Hon. W. E. Parry, Leamington Hall; M r :, S. Goosman, Walton Public Hall. , ,~".

Northern Maori.—Sir Apirana Ngata, 'Manchester Unity Hall, Hobson Street.

EFFORT OP INDIVIDUAL / PARTY NOT RESPONSIBLE [by TEXKGRAPH—PRESS association] CHRISTCHURCH, Wednesday An assertion that the Labour Government was lio.t responsible for what had been written by Mr. J. A. Lee in his book "Socialism in New Zealand," was made by the Minister of Mines, the Hon. P. C, Webb, when speaking at Mr. R. M. Macfarlane's meeting at, St. Alban's to-night. Mr. Macfarlane, Labour ; candidate for Christ--clmrch North, was asked whether he believed in what Mr. Lee had propounded. He . replied that lie Jhad never read Mr. Lee's book and that the National Party had found the mopey to get the book out from England. He had not seen a copy of it, nor had any member of the Labour Government. " Mr. Webb asked to be allowed to refer to the book "Mr. Lee is a journalist," he said,''*and as n journalist wrote the book as an individual: Not one member of the. Government has read it. Neither tho Government nor anyone in it is responsible for what the book might contain."