RAILWAY POLICY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18764, 22 July 1935, Page 9

RAILWAY POLICY

UNPROFITABLE LINES ■'V REVIEW .TO BE MADE TRAFFIC BETTER A. number of the branch railway lines are still a cause of some difficulty to the Railways Board, according to a statement on various aspects of policy and recent developments just issued. “The policy of the board during the last four years has been one of stimulation of branch line traffic and, where possible, elimination of wasteful competition, thus bringing the lines in question to a financial position which will warrant their continued operation,” says the statement. “Tire board has always been imbued with a recognition of the paramount importance of the railway system as the first line of transport for the Dominion. It is now reaching a point where a number of weaknesses which have been the subject of constant and dose consideration over four years call for further close review. ATTITUDE OF COMMUNITY

“So long as a community served by or in proximity to any section of railway values and uses that railway to the full degree of their capacity the board lias no ground for complaint against the respective local communities. In such conditions; it is called upon to consider the interests involved from the national standpoint. “If there is a failure to recognise the value of the railway services to the community by any district which they were designed to serve and the system is run profitably, there then is cast upon the. board a responsibility to determine iryjfc how far a subsidy, so to speak, fjSi the general taxpayer is due to a cromunity thus withholding its full support from the railway system. ’‘The board finds with considerable satisfaction that there is an increasing recognition of its work, and patronage on the part of the public, both in passengers and goods. It realises in regard to that a responsibility to modernise the system to the greatest practical degree, and to afford to the public the greatest convenience in travel and facility in goods despatch. The rccognilion of this obligation is becoming more and more apparent throughout the service. FACILITIES AT WELLINGTON “The operation of traffic has been receiving very close consideration. The recent changes announced by the general manager affecting the Central North island Main Truuk traffic and the Wanganui section with extensive changes, at Ohukune aro almost complete. The position of superintendent of traffic for the Dominion has been revived. 'File late district traffic manager at Auckland, Mr. G. Wilson, recently transferred to this post, is now directing from Wellington these interests for the entire system., “One of the most important railway works which the board is handling at the present time is that arising out of the new station yards and the rearrangement of traffic facilities at Wellington,” the statement concludes- “Early transfer of all present traffic from the Johnsonville line to the Tawa Flat deviation will mark a big advanco in railway operation out of Wellington. In the course of a few months the board should bo in ii position to make a further statement affecting the entire situation in Wellington. . aTn advantage will accrue to the Wellington public and railwayusers generally there by the transference of the terminal point from Thorndon to Bunny street, which will bring the railway passenger traffic practically into the heart of the city of Wellington.”