RAILWAYS POLICY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27317, 17 February 1950, Page 4

RAILWAYS POLICY

LESS MONEY FOR WORKERS LABOUR PARTY’S VIEW PA WELLINGTON, Feb. 16. “The announcement of the Minister of Railways, Mr Goosman, about Railway finances is another indication that the National Government, instead of making pounds go further as promised during the general election, is preparing to leave stilL less money in the pockets of the workers,” said the national secretary of the Labour Party, Mr A. J. McDonald in a statement today. The Minister’s statement, Mr McDonald said, gave as clear an indication as could be wished, that the Government proposed to increase fares, particularly on the short distances which workers in metropolitan areas were compelled to use every day. - There ,was more than a broad hint also, that the 40-hour five-day week was already under attack by the Government. The operating loss on the Railways had been known for years, and. the wordy statement from the Minister was quite unnecessary, Mr McDonald said. “Because so many thousands of workers living in or near .cities have to travel by train or railway road services to and from work there will be much concern at the proposal put forward by Mr Goosman to mcerase fares to meet the estimated loss on, suburban transport services run by the department,” Mr McDonald added. “This will mean a very steep rise in fares for the workers concerned because they have no alternative to Government-owned and operated buses or suburban trains. “ The Labour Government felt it unfair to burden workers with increased fares when these were suggested because it believed that the whole country, which benefited from the efforts of the workers should share the burden rather than that it should be put down as an added penalty on one section only.”