RAILWAYS POLICY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17045, 2 September 1929, Page 11

RAILWAYS POLICY

THE LONDON CRITICISM PREMIER IN REPLY (Per P«ess Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. Referring to the London Financial News comment, cabled to-day, Sir .Joseph Ward comments: “1 notice in the cable news in reference to an article in the Financial News on the position of the railways, apparently rising' out of the discussion that has been taking place in New Zealand concerning what is commonly referred to as the South Island Alain Trunk. 1 have, not seen the full text of the arlicle referred 10, but if appears to have been written under a misapprehension as to the facts. “The Government is not going' to embark on the construction of any new lines, but merely proposes to complete existing trunk lines, and it: is essential in the interests of the Dominion that the main lines should be completed as soon as possible. The financial position of the railways generally is admittedly not satisfactory at present, but this is -due to motor competition, a difficulty that is by no means confined to New Zealand.

“As stated in the Budget, the Government proposes to take prompt action to remedy matters, and when short branch lines have been dealt with, and some measure of co-ordination lias been obtained between road and rail transport, I feel sure the trunk railways as a whole will earn full interest on their cost.

“ It cannot be gainsaid that the railways must be the backbone of the. transport system, and obviously trunk lines must bo finished before it will lit 1 possible to obtain a complete unified transport system based on coordination between road and rail transport. ’ ’