RAILWAYS SHOULD PAY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 671, 24 May 1929, Page 6

RAILWAYS SHOULD PAY

FARMERS DISCUSS LINE CONSTRUCTION “POLITICAL BRIBERY” ALLEGED Railway construction was discussed by the Farmers’ Conference at Auckland this morning, when it was decided that al! lines should be made only after a survey had shown them to be possible of being financially successful. A remit from Waikato stated: This conference is of the opinion that before any further new railway construction is proceeded with, the economic of such undertaking should be such as not to entail an undue burden on the users of the railways or the taxpayer. ■ Mr. Barter, the mover, said the prospects of commercial success should he the only consideration In establishing a line. The Wairoa line was to be proceeded with —a line which was not connected with any trunk line, and which, according to the basic principles of railway engineering, never could pay. In the Waiuku line, too, there was an instance where a line never should have been established. (Hear, hear.) . SELFISH PRINCIPLE Mr. E. Babe said that the principle of the remit was: "We’ve got our railways; you can do without them!” He disagreed with this point of view. Mr. Boyd: There is no such idea. We do not want to deprive anyone of their railways, but we want to ensure that there Is a reasonable chance of a railway paying its way. I believe that if a complete survey gf the Rotorua-Taupo 1 line had been taken it never would have been started and a great waste of money avoided. Mr. Nicklin: We suggest this is nothing but a piece of political bribery. They stopped good lines which showed a prospect of paying and started this line over country which would not run rabbits. It is one of the worst things that has been put over this country for years. The country along the Taupo, Wairakei, and Reporoa route has not a jolly house on it, and it would not carry a rabbit! TRUNK LINES Mr. A. E. Harding said that 25 years ago it was thought that as population increased the railways would pay. The motor-car had hindered this project. Therefore every line should be carefully investigated from the economic point of view. Mr. R. D. Duxfield asked who was going to determine whether or not a railway was going to pay. If this consideration had been applied to the North Main Trunk the line would have been turned down. Until a line was made a through line, its possibilities could not be estimated. Prior to the construction of the Main Trunk there had been stagnation at both ends. The remit was carried.