RAILWAY CUT.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1787, 5 November 1919, Page 11

RAILWAY CUT.

COMMISSION'S REPORT. WANT OF COAL THE SOLE CAUSE. MANAGER LACKED FORESIGHT. Press Association. WELLINGTON, November 5. The Railway Commission, dealing with specific matters referred to it, states that the evidence showed that the rolling stock and engines were maintained in good and efficient condition, and proper provision was made for their upkeep and renewal. The number ot engines, carriages, and wagons under repair at the beginning of July, 1919, was not excessive. No responsible officer had reported adversely on the condition of rolling stock in the past four years. The curtailment of train services made on July 2, 1919, was not due to unsafe condition of the rolling stock or engines, but solely to the shortage of coal. The whole stock of coal held by the department on that date was'9s6o tons, scattered over many depots ; and was quite insufficient to continue the old timetable. There had been a great depletion of coal stocks from the end of October, 1913, due to the shortage of shipping and miners, to the diminished output of bituminous coal from the West Coast mines, to diminished imports from Newcastle, to strikes, and to the increased demand by the. Royal Navy for WesJport coal. Stocks of railway coal fell, by various fluctuations, from 85,422 tons in October, 1913, to 9560 in July, 1919. From October, 1917, the department, was rationed, as there were not sufficient supplies coming forward. The General Manager refused to Eay the higher freights demanded y ocean steamers to make special trips to New Zealand with coal, and the Commission thinks that he did not show proper foresight in this attitude. The Minister of Munitions had, in some urgent cases, diverted to other industries coal that had been allocated to the railways. The staffing was sufficient to maintain the ordinary timetable, if other conditions were satisfactory. Restrictions on the carriage of passengers and goods were essential.