PARLIAMENT DISCUSSES RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION

Stratford Evening Post, Volume I, Issue 257, 8 October 1931, Page 6

PARLIAMENT DISCUSSES RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION

In moving the motion that the recommendation of the Railways Board against the construction of the Wha-ranui-Parnassus, Puto'rino-Wairoa and Te Kuha-Inangahua sections of railway line be approved, Mr. Forbes said that as Minister of Railways it was his duty to do so. He had never had a more difficult duty. It would be remembered that for many years he had been connected with the agitation in favour of the South Island main trunk line, but the position now arose that in view of the existing circumstances it had become his duty to move in the terms of the motion. He had to remember, continued the Prime Minister, that he was in Parliament not only as a representative of an electorate, but also as Prime Minister, and as the holder of that office he was in the position of a trustee for the people of the whole country. There were responsibilities on members of the House at the present time that did not exist in ordinary times. It had to be recognised that what could be supported under other conditions could not be supported to-day. .The Railways Board had reported

that, if the lines under construction were completed it could only mean a big financial loss to the country. These losses could only be met by further retrenchments. He felt the House was of the opinion that they should keep the finance in a sound position. railway systems were loaded on to the railway service, and that was bad from the - point of view of the railwaymen. The board's investigations had been carried out very carefully. Mr. W. D. Lysnar (Gisborne): Question! Mr. Black: They reported before they heard evidence. Mr. Forbes: For years there has been an accumulation of data on the question of lines under construction. Mr. R. Semple: Didn't you have the same data in 1928? Mr. Forbes: A lot of water has passed under the bridge since 1928, and unless we face the position the end may be disastrous.

No Chance of Getting Money Mr. Forbes said that if the Government went on to the market to raise money for the lines which were com .demned by the board it would have no chance of getting it. Mr. Forbes said he did not think ttie board could be charged with having taken a prejudiced view. The Government had valuable experience of the Railway Department as well as of experienced men to guide it in the matter. One of the weaknesses of the railway construction policy in the past had been local and political influence, and for that reason there had been a strong feeling that an unprejudiced board should be set up to deal with the position. • Mr. Semple: If the board's findings are justified does not that constitute an indictment of the Government responsible, for starting the work? Mr. Forbes said at one time it was possible to contemplate such expenditure on railway*, but while it had then been a sound policy it was now an unsound one. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. H. E. Holland, said the Prime Minister's speech had amounted to a good reason for Parliament going back to the country immediately. Apart from a feAV quotations from the board's report Mr. Forbes had told the House nothing. His motion was just one further instance of the renunciation of his election policy in a manner that New Zealand had never before seen. Mr. Forbes knew his party had secured office on the very policy it was now reversing.

"A Sound Policy" Mr, Holland said he had always regarded the construction of main lines as sound policy. Railways, like roads, were an important part of the productive and distributing organisation of the country, lie declared that the correct line of action —in fact he thought the honourable line of action —would have been for the Government to have gone back to the electors and said it could not give effect to its policy, and then to ask for the electors' verdict. He expressed the opinion that if values created by the construction of the railways had been credited to them there would have been no losses, but instead these values had been allowed to go into the pockets of individuals. The State was now paying for the mistakes of the past. Referring to the Westport-Inanga-hua line, Mr. Holland said its completion had been delayed for years as the result of different parties coming into office. If it had been completed immediately there would have been no loss on it. Mr.. Holland said the board had recommended against all the lines on which it had reported. It seemed the country was up against a conflict between motor traffic and the railways. The position boiled down amounted to consideration of the oil interests as against the national interests. More Unwise Policy Mr. Lysnar insisted that the stoppage of work would be a more unwise policy than completion would be. He complained that while "mansion" railway stations had been provided for places which already had stations there, were, other districts which were losing millions through not being linked up by railways. He vigorous>ly advocated the completion of the Napier-Gisborne line. Mr. K. S. Williams (Reform, Bay of Plenty) gave notice that he would move an amendment in committee to strike out the reference to the Puto-rino-Wairoa line. He expressed the opinion that the report should have Been held over until the transport legislation was disposed of. Referring to the Putorino-Wairoa line, he said only a small portion required completion, and he considered the small 1

, DEBATE ON BOARD'S RECOMMENDATIONS Abandonment of Certain Lines jf * Press- Association. —Copyright. WELLINGTON, Wednesday. URGENCY was accorded the debate on railway lines under construction in the House of Representatives to-day. Replying to Mr. G. C. Black (Independent, Motueka), the Rf. Hon. G. W. Forbes said that under the Railways Amendment Act of last session, where the construction of lines had, been stopped at the time of the passing of the Act, the work could not be resumed unless a resolution approving of such a course was submitted to the House. As no resolution of the kind was before the House, the question of resumption of work did not come under consideration.

extra amount should be spent so that the money already spent could give some return. He asked if the Government would be prepared to allow a syndicate or the local bodies to take over the line, complete it, and run it. Mr. E. J. Howard (Labour, Christchurch South) said the Government had not been prepared to stop the work and had therefore set up a board to do so. Mr. W. J. Poison: That's an aspersion on decent men! Continuing, Mr. Howard said that if the railways couHl get threepence per ton per mile for all haulage they would pay. The lines that had been stopped should still be running and could be run if properly manged. Mr. E. F. Hcaly (United, Wairau) said the board was an irresponsible body which had no inundate from the people. It was composed of men comparatively unknown to the tublic, with one exception, and that was a man who three times had been rejected by the electors on standing for Parliament. He thought Sir Joseph Ward would turn in his grave if he knew the work he had started was proposed to be turned down at the recommendation of the board. Rushed Through Country

i Mr. Healy asserted that the board had merely rushed through the country and had not carefully examined the avenues of prosperity that would be opened if the various trunk lines were completed. He had been with them on their trip through the Marlborough district, and in his opinion the board had been in too great a hurry to reach Chfistchurch. Mr. Healy referred to the situation in which the workers on the Whara-nui-Parnassus section would find themselves if the work was stopped. He said they were contented, capable men and all the necessary housing for them and their families had been provided. He argued that if the board had its way and the recommendations were adopted it would mean the end ot railway construction in New Zealand. He had from the start considered the appointment of the board was wrong in principle. Referring to the Suuth Island main trunk line, Mr. Healy said the board had stated in its report that it had made several detours. Mr. Healy remarked that he knew of one detour the board had made, and that was into a wine cellar. (Laughter.) The owner of the cellar had told him. He wished he had never let them taste wine. (Renewed laughter.) Mr. Healy characterised the board's statement that Marlborough had been settled up to the average stage of development of the country served by the South Island main trunk line as an insane contention. He said there were 1200 acres to the settler in the district, and there were 1,000,000 acres of Crown land. It would be possible to increase development enormously.

Mr. Coates Surprised The Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates said the board's report had come to him as a surprise, particularly when he_ had noted the Westport-Inangahua line among those condemned. He had felt that a line linking up coal areas as this one did would have been justified. The time had come, however, in view of all the circumstances the country had to decide whether it could afford the money required to complete the lines under construction. He submitted that if the House rejected the board's recommendation it would be approving of a loss to the country of not less than £600,000 annually. Mr. Coates reminded the House that it world shortly have to deal with transport legislation, and he thought the members would be wise to await it. This legislation might dea'l with many difficulties to which the board had referred in announcing its decisions. It was wrong to say that once the recommendations were adopted those poitions of the lilies which had been constructed would immediately be ripped up. He thought it would be unwise to do anything hasty. Mi. Holland: You anticipate the lines will eventually be completed, then?

I Mr. Coates: I don't anticipate anything, but I think it wise to await developments in the transport system. Mr. Coates said there might be companies or syndicates desiring to run some portions of a line. There had been one intimation already that some proposal of that kind might eventuate. It was possible that some company might desire to run a. portion of a line, while on the other hand a group of settlers might desire to guarantee the Government against loss in running lines. It was possible that the economic conditions might later improve sufficiently to enable the Government to again take up some of the lines. Referring to the question of finding work for the men who would be Unplaced, the Minister said he had had a quick look round. Some of the men could be transferred to other works. He would make a statement shortly as to the Cabinet's plans, and he thought he could assure married men at least that they need have no anxiety that work would be found. Mr. Scrapie: Under the No. 5 scheme? Mr. Coates: No. Mr. W. J. Jordan (Labour, Manitkau) said Mr. Coates had in 1928 shown that the Dominion would have to spend £18,000,000 more to carry railway freights by road. If that was true what had happened now? The hoard might lie right in saying that the lines should not go on, but the House had nothing to go on except what the board said. He moved that the report of the board be referred to the Railways Committee of tiie House for consideration and report and that the committee visit the districts concerned. Mr. W. E. Barnard (Labour, Napier) seconded the amendment. He aaid it r l

was the duty of members to accept full responsibility and not to leave the decision to the board. He considered the report had been drawn up without any recognition having been given to the fact that co-ordination of transport was to be brought about. Mr. 11. M. Campbell (Reform, Hawke's Bay) asked the Prime Minister if he would be prepared to give a syndicate or company a chance to take over the East Coast railway. Mr. C. 11. Clinkard (United, Rotorua) said that while it might be impossible to go on with the lines it would' be foolish to leave short sections of railways unfinished for all time. Bankruptcy statistics showed that road transport could not compete with the railways. He was not satisfied to support the motion. Mr. Black said he was not in favour of the motion, but was in favour of completing all the main railway lines in New Zealand.