MINISTERIAL VISIT

Southland Times, Issue 19170, 14 February 1924, Page 5

MINISTERIAL VISIT

MR COATES IN SOUTHLAND DEPUTATIONS AT GORE LOCAL MATTERS DEALT WITF (Our Special Reporter). GORE, February 13. Hon. J. G. Coates, accompanied by Ml R. W. McVilly, General Manager of Railways, Mr F. J. Jones, chief engineer, and secretaries Hunter and Aicken reached Gore last evening. Mr A. W. Morgan, Traffic Manager at Invercargill, joined the party at Clinton. During the day the Minister visited various branch lines and received deputations, principally regarding local railway and postal matters, at Owaka, Puketiro, Stewarts Siding, Clinton, Waipahi, Edievale and Waikaka. RAILWAY RUNNING COSTS. Replying to a deputation at Edievale, Mr McVilly gave some interesting figures. He stated that the Departments rates were fixed at a tin, when wages were 6/6 a day, with a 60-ho.r week for traffic men, and 48 for surfacemen. Since then the price* of all materia-' used by the Department increased.- Coal, previously 15/- per ton, now cost about £3 10s, and he had even paid as much as £7. Stores and other materials had also increased proportionately. Wages were now 13/4 for 44 hours and overtime rates were also involved. If the rates were based on the increase in wag<*s, prices should at least be double what they were previously. The Department aimed at keeping the rate of interest at 3’l |M»r cent, and whilst looking at development alo aimed at economy, keeping charges down and yet giving all the conveniences and the best service possible. Matters had ww reached the point where it was impossible to go on under the old conditions; the limit bad practically been reached, yet the public wanted services in excess of business requirements. The facts should be considered by the people who were always ready to blame the Department for the present position of affairs. Unfortunately matters as a whole in the South Island were very unsatisfactory. FLOOD PREVENTION. In the Council Chamber in the evening the Minister met several deputations. The Mayor (Mr I). L. Poppleweili presided, and mentioned the matter of further contribution towards the provision of a stop bank for flood protection, and suggested that the Government and local Council should contribute the £5OOO still involved on a fiftyfifty basis. The Minister replied that i.e had already given his decision on this question several times, but after a ]»ersonal inspection of the bank that evening he would be prepared to go into the question again. The chairman also mentioned the matter of some slight structural alterations in the tower of the Post Office where the town clock Is housed which on occasions stopped through severe weather conditions. I'he Minister promised to give the matter his attention. THE THROUGH EXPRESS. A deputation from the Gore Chamber of Commerce, headed by the president, Mr A. S. Fleming, then saw the Minister regarding railway matters. The speaker stressed the point that Gore was working with Invercargill or other bodies interested in the matter of through services and ihat equal facilities should bo given to the southernmost districts along with other par's of the Dominion. 'l'he efforts of the De partment in doing their utmost to economise was a desirable thing, but at the same tone he was right in stating that the district regarded the discontinuance of the daily service as a slur on the southernmost part of the Dominion. The local community desired a daily mail service with Wellington •and failing that, the next best thing, a tri-weekly service, along with daily connection between Dunedin and Invercargill. The chairman said it was essential for the unity of the Dominion that projier means of communication should be provided. There was an uneasy feeling that the district did not count. Everyone knew that the question of expense was involved, but personally he did not think that should be the only question. Mr P. G. Gray, a member of the Chamber, said that the Chamber wholeheartedly endorsed the views expressed by the president. At the time of the slump he had opposed the retention of the second express, but conditions were different to-day and people considered that an injustice was being done by the curtailing of the services. Mr Fleming suggested the inauguration of Pullman cars as special accommodation for tourists who could afford to pay higher fares if they desired greater comfort. MINISTER IN REPLY. Mr Coates, in the course of a lengthy statement, said that as Minister he had to look to the General Manager to pay 3 t ’ l>er cent, on the money involved in railways. Cabinet had decreed this and he did not think that as business men anybody would suggest that such a policy should be departed from. Surely everyone recognised that if interest was not In-tng received it was only piling more on to the taxpayer. IX>SS ON BRANCH LINES. Many branch lines were being maintained, said the Minister, at losses running into thousands for the nine months of the current financial year, yet he recognised that the lines were essential for the development of the country and while there was no suggestion of cutting such lines out, there was a definite instruction that steps had to be taken to find means of altering the position, either by altered services or the provision of other means of transportation to find some method of cutting down the overhead costs. He did not quite know what methods at present would achieve that end, but he was going to make a determined effort. There were 26 branch lines showing £283,000 in losses. These were essential as feeds to the main lines as well as to th® opening up of the country. He hoped and felt certain that proper experiments would enable the Department to cat down some of these losses. Mr Coates admitted that thi expresses through to Lyttelton and vice ver; i daily were most desirable, but the Impartment had to consider very seriously the involved, as well the placing of extra ourdens on the taxpayers. Generally overh--ad costs had increased bj’ leaps and bounds of recent years. A few years ago it cost !•/ - for a train mile now running into 13/2, apart from interest. Increased ch ar gee oi goods were necessary to pay the extra /unning expenses. They had gone up correspondingly 'by now. He was going into the question to see what could be done to bring about a better state of affairs. Coal and other materials had increased much more quickly and to a greater extent than tho freight rates. His officers were very carefully watching train mileage because it was not so much increased business as reduction in train mileage that would effect a saving. Motor traffic was a very serious competition and was not forced to pay for the maintenance of roads. It was a matter for the people to decide which they required, but from the national point of view it was not altogether fair to the railways, whic!> had to pay maintenance for the tracks. He himself and the officers of the Department were most anxious to run the services, but he was afraid they were being asked to do so without the realisation of the financial considerations involved. His whole desire was to provide freight rates and fares that were reasonable, and to cut them dowa as far as passible to users. Touching on the question of the South Island being eliminated from the North, he said he did not consider it possible, neither could anyone think of it. The steadying of the movement of population was desirable. At no t(Une had he adopted an attitude of North versus South, but had simply looked at the facts squarely, to see what return was likely to New Zealand as a whole. Continuing, the Minister said: ‘ln ton-

4 nection with the through express, might I say that after all the test of revenue has B to apply to some extent, and if we are £ to run through expresses to and from t'J Lyttelton there is going to be a great loss, ra I want to say candidly that my first consideration is to allow Mr McVilly to see if ® ! he can show a decent balance sheet at the I’ ; cud of the year. No influence of any kindlis brought bear on him in the slightest $ I degree. At present he and his officers are ;; ! engagefl in framing a list of tariff 5 J with a view to the removal of present ! anomalies. The whole question will be gone jhi ! into thoroughly with a view to the adopg ! tion of a scheme to maintain the services. H i It is essential to keep the whole country h in proper touch. Everywhere we can re- ' duce costs and improve the freight charges M ; and services, then we propose to do it. ! In fact I am prepared as a matter of | ; policy to do it. Last year’s results were $ i disappointing and this year it is hoped to hi ' at least ensure that interest charges are ! “<*■” a i PRESENT SERVICES TO BE RETAINED. ” I The Department intended to keep the jr-; ! present services going indefinitely, said Mr «« Coates, and he sincerely hoped that the trade 3 offering would warrant such action. So far « as the people of Southland were concerned, lie. would do everything possible to help, but he was sorry to say that they had to accept the position as it was. Both 'V he and the General Manager were prepared Io give all the facts and figures to anyone . interested. They had no desire to hide k-i I anything. trains belonged to the people ■ and his Department, wanted the assistance I of everyone as well as the benefit of their 6 advice. k: Mr McVilly said that apparently some misapprehension existed and whether the busiM ness would warrant the continuance of the present services or a reversion to the former sendees remained to be seen. A reduction of train mileage was a well-estab-lished method of effecting a saving and if [•j it cost 13/2 per mile to run the trains and a reduction of 100,000 miles could be :fJ effected, then the saving would be approximately £66,000. Results had shown that the $ maintaining of the extra express was in ex- || cess of the requirements, but if the business picked up the service would be maintained. He believed he could satisfy any fair and ■yr\ impartial person by facts and figures of the truth of his assertion. At all times he desired to give the best service possible, having full regard to the financial aspects involved. HIGH SCHOOL MATTERS. 3 Mr Smith, chairman of the High School M Board of Governors, also took the opporK- tunity of acquainting the Minister with the q requirements of the Board. He had pre- '! viously approached the Minister 6f Educaq tion, so that when these matters were before Cabinet he could support their re--j quests which were considered reasonable. The Mayor thanked the Minister for the $ manner in which he had received the deputa.7 tions, after which the Minister returned -’J thanks.