RAILWAY BOARD POLICY

Taranaki Daily News, 30 November 1932, Page 9

RAILWAY BOARD POLICY

HOUSE DISCUSSES REPORT

COMPLETION OF LINES STARTED.

PRIVATE ENTERPRISE SCHEME.

POSITION ON THE EAST COAST.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night.

The report of the Government Railways Board was discussed in the House of Representatives to-day. . Mr E. J. Howard (Lab., Christchurch South) suggested that the New Zealand railways could be run more economically, give better service and compete successfully with motor services. He did not understand why Diesel engines had not been used. Mr A. D. McLeod (Co., Wairarapa) said he was afraid a lot they heard about the virtues of Diesel engines was the result of clever propaganda. Mr. J. A. Lee (Lab., Grey Lynn) alleged that Mr. Coates when formerly Minister of Railways had been very extravagant and said it was extraordinary that he was now over at Motueka telling the people there how the country should be run. Mr. Lee criticised the expenditure on the Kirikopuni balloon loop” and the Middleton marshalling yards at Christchurch in particular. Mr. W. J. Polson (Co. Stratford) said there' had been shocking mis-statements by members of the Labour Party during the Motueka campaign with reference to past expenditure. He said the works to which Mr. Lee had referred had been undertaken in good times, and those responsible could not be blamed for failing to foresee the difficulties now confronting the country. Mr. W. A. Veitch (Co., Wanganui) said there were many reasons why Diesel engines should not be used in New Zealand. A report on the suitability of these engines had been submitted to the Government by a high officer of the Railway Department, who had expressed the view that it would not be wise for the Government to go in for them. . NAPIER-WAIROA LINE. Mr. W. E. Barnard (Lab. Napier) mentioned the possibility of a private company being formed to take over, complete and operate the line between Napier and Wairoa. He said the difficulty was that under the present conditions negotiations could not be carried out with any one body because the portion of the line between Napier and Putarino was under the control of the Railways Board while 'the section between Putarino and Wairoa was still at the disposal of the Public Works Department He asked the Prime Minister whether arrangements could be made for the Railways Board to hand back to the Public Works Department the portion which it controlled and which it never intended to operate. This would enable the negotiations to be brought to an issue, because those interested in the completion of the line would at least be able to make definite proposals. Mr. A. J. Murdoch (Co., Marsden) expressed the opinion that it would be advantageous to complete some of the lines on which work had been suspended, He said there was plenty of unemployed labour in the country, and he believed it would be better to employ this labour in completing railway lines than in some work it was performing to-day. It would surely be possible to earn interest on some of the money that had been spent on railway projects, but so long as the lines were left uncompleted no interest could be earned. Replying .to the discussion, Mr. Forbes said the policy of the Railways Board was to get the best use out of the railways and at the same time lighten the burden on the taxpayer as much as possible. There had been allegations that rolling stock had deteriorated, but he could give those statements denial. Mr. Forbes said he could assure members that, the experts of the department were watching the development of Diesel engines very closely and would be willing to recommend the adoption of these engines in New Zealand once they were certaiff they would benefit the country.