RAILWAY COMMISSION

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11876, 9 July 1924, Page 6

RAILWAY COMMISSION

THE FEES TO BE PAID? “COST WILL NOT EXCEED £6000." Mr G. W. Forbes (Hurunui) stated in -te House of Representatives yesterday afterntoon that he wished to ask the Minister for Railways a question without notice as to the fees to be paid to the railway experts from the Old Country who were engaged to report as' a oommisskm upon the New Zealand railways. The Prime Minister asked whether

it was not really a return that the member was asking for. Mr Forbes said that the cost of the' Railway Commission in New South Wales had been same £14,000; and Dv asked whether the Minister for Rte - ways had seen the newspaper paragraph to that effect, and whether, before be had made arrangements _ for the commission he had ascertained what the foes and the total cost would be likely to be. ' He, personally, would like to know, and he was sure the country would also like to know, what arrangements had been made. The Hon. J. G. Coatee replied that the Government always asoertainedthe -probable cost before it did anything: (Laughter and applause.) If the New South Wales Government didn’t do the > same he was rather surprised. It was true that the Government had ar-i ranged for Sir Samuel Fay, Sir Francis Raymond, and those others to investigate the position as to our railways; hut before doing so the Government had got a definite figure from them; and, speaking from memory, he might say that the cost would not exceed £6OOO.