QUEENSLAND RAILWAYS

Stratford Evening Post, Volume I, Issue 498, 21 July 1932, Page 8

QUEENSLAND RAILWAYS

POLITICIANS' PLAYTHINGS FARES TO BE RAISED BRISBANE, July 4.—lt has been announced that railway freights and fares, except fares within the metropolitan area, are to be increased. During the 14 years of Labour control in Queensland the freight on wool was increased by over 80 per cent., and on sheep by well over 100 per cent. Labour took over the railways in 1915 as a paying proposition, and lost about £18,000.000 in its 14 years' term. On the other hand, the Moore Government made considerable reductions in fares and freights, and in its three years of office lowered the cost of working the railways by an aggregate of over £2,000,000. It is fair to say that during the period when Labour raised freights the pastoral and other primary industries were flourishing. It was reasonable to let the railways share on the boom income, but there was also a boom increase in personnel and otherwise. A suggestion has been made that both political parties interfered with the Commissioner in his job, but the Moore Government came into office with a distinct promise to remove the railways from what is called political control. That was, despite strong advocacy in the local press and otherwise, not done.

The present is a distinctly inopportune time to increase freights. The pastoral industry needs a reversion to the 1914 level, for there is no profit now from cattle or sheep. Here it is considered deplorable that the railways should be playthings of politicians.