LOCOMOTIVES FOR THE RAILWAYS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16296, 1 February 1915, Page 3 (Supplement)

LOCOMOTIVES FOR THE RAILWAYS.

TEN BALDWINS FROM AMERICA,

WELLINGTON, January 26. The Government has placed an order with Messrs Burnham, Williams, and Co., of Philadelphia, manufactures of the Baldwin engines, for 10 locomotives of the first class. The Hon. W. H. Herries, Minister of Railways, in a statement to the press on the subject, said: —

"In the General Manager's report, laid on the table of the House last year, the acuteness of the position was pointed out. It was shown that, the engine power was woefully deficient, and accounted for a greater part of the complaints which wore rife about the shortage of trucks, and it was recommended that 20 engines should be imported, as the local and Government shops were going at full pressure and had two years' orders in hand, also that the only private firm, which had a complete equipment for engine building would be fully employed to fulfil the Railway Department's order of 26 engines placed with it. The position the Government then had to consider was this, that it was absolutely necessary that the engines, or some of them, should be obtained in the shortest possible time. Inquiries had been instituted in Great Britain and the United States as to the prices and delivery, <nd the Baldwin Company's offer was immeasurably the best, both as to price and time of delivery, the latter being an important point as time was the essence of the contract. The best English offer was from the North British Company, which was to complete 10 engines in seven months ready for shipping at a cost of £4780 per engine, whereas the Baldwin Company's offer was to complete 10 engines in 60 days at a price of £3229 per engine. It ,vas considered important to get the engines in New Zealand in time • for Easter, and it is practically certain ! that this will be done.- The 10 Garrett engines mentioned in the General Manager's report wili be obtained from Great ! Britain, so that the total number autho- I rised will be equally divided between Great Britain and the United States. ! These imported engines will all be of heavy type, equal, if not superior, in traction power to the heaviest engines at : present on the New Zealand railways, i In future the old policy of keeping low | traction power engires in good repair by 1 reboilering and refitting will bo abandoned and the money used for building new : powerful engines capable of hauling the maximum loads which the permanent wav will permit, this shipment is received thero will be no more need to import engines, as they will be all made in the dominion, either at the Government or private workshops." Speaking to .a ieporter, the Minister of Railways said he was following the pro cedure adopted by Sir Joseph Ward' in a similar sitaation in 1902. To enable future requirements to be met new workshops, capable of building 10 locomotives yearly, would be erected at Newmarket.

SIR J. G. WARD ON THE POSITION. WELLINGTON, January 26. Commenting on the order given for Bald- 1 win locomotives, Sir J. G. Ward said it was amusing to find the Government attempting to justify its action by using him for the purpose of comparing what they were doing now with what was carried out during the period he was Minister of Railways. "But the Minister, in his attempt at justifying tho procedure his Government is now adopting, has entirely over-reached himself,'' said Sir Joseph, '' and lie makes a palpable mis-statement. He savs : ' In 1899 Sir Joseph Ward also imported from the United States 16 en- j

gines.' As a matter of fact, I was not Minister of Railways in 1899, as can be seen from the records. I did not take office as head of the railways until 1900. Soon after I took office I brought the matter before the Cabinet with a view to having the whole of the railway stock made in New Zealand. Acting on my suggestion, the Cabinet arrived at a decision to make provision at the railway workshops for the construction of locomotives, and in addition to have a number made by private enterprise in the country, and not to import further engines or rolling stock as soon as this provision to make them locally could be provided. This poliey was carried out strictly after 1902, and neither engines nor rolling stock were thereafter imported. In addition to the locomotives made in the railway workshops Messrs Price Bros, have since regularly received orders for locomotives. I have no hesitation in saying," concluded Sir Joseph, "that the country ought to make the whole of its own locomotives and rolling stock. In any case at this juncture, if the Government found itself compelled to get engines from abroad, the importation, in my opinion, should have been given to Great Britain, even if the price was higher. England is the heart of the Empire, and is vitally affected in this world war. Up to now. it is unfortunate, but it is a fact, the policy of America has been of mighty little assistance to _ the British Empire.' Moreover, the British Government has since the war started found £5.500,000 for New Zealand at 3J per cent, interest. Surely, then, our recognition of such services during the extraordinary conditions through which the Empire is passing warrants our giving a preference to the Motherland, even though it costs us more to do so."

THE REAL POSITION. WELLINGTON, January 28. The late Liberal Administration let the railway rolling stock fall' so low that it became absolutely necessary to get locomotives quickly, and owing to the war they could not be got in time from England. As showing that the present Government is strongly in favour of New Zealand manufacture under ordinary circumstances the following official figures are supplied of locomotives manufactured in New Zealand :—Messrs Price Bros, completed since July, 1912, 20 class AD 74-ton passenger locomotives; the Addington workshops, 10 class X compounds, 94 tons; the Hillside workshops, 24 class WG heavy tank engines for passenger and -Moils work; — total, 54 locomotives completed and put on the road since July, 1912. At the present time the following locomotives are on order :—Price Bros., 20 class B goods engines; Addington workshops, 10 class AD, 72 tons, passenger engines compound; Hillside workshops, 10 WG heavy doubleend ers for passenger and goods work; — total, 40 on order and in hand.