TRANSPORT PROBLEMS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18355, 28 August 1929, Page 5

TRANSPORT PROBLEMS

RAILWAYMEN'S VIEWS. By Telegraph— Press Association. WELLINGTON, August 27. The question of road versus railway transport was discussed at a meeting of the Thorndon Branch of the ' l A.S.R.S. yesterday, and the following I statement was adopted:— ‘ Members of the Thorndon branch of • A.S.R.S. heartily approve the proposal of the Prime Minister to write j off tho capital borrowed for railway,' construction from the railway accounts, T and to make the interest on such !! charge on the consolidated fund. At present the railways are expected to provide, from the earnings, interest on . money borrowed for construction, as well as to maintain rolling stock and :: 5 permanent way. On the other hand i » road transport has only to keep the j l vehicle in order, and to pay a small j •sum towards construction and upkeep of the roadway, the greater part of j, this falling on the community, includ- j ing railwaymen, who are, therefore, in i j a manner of speaking, compelled to | i pay a subsidy to the transport system, j which is competing on unfair terms with the railways. We desire also to i impress upon the Prime Minister that - our present transport methods are | / wasteful and uneconomic, and that as j ~ loug as transport is organised in com- i 1 petit i’va groups, the best transport at y ' lowest cost cannot be expected. The I internal transport of any country is j best and most economically handled by I one organisation, with complete ! control. The present wasteful competi- [. tion system of small units must give i way to unified control, and it is in the >, public interests that rationalisation g of our transport agencies should he - undertaken before the drift becomes r . much more ‘costly. For these valid ) \ reasons, wo urge on the Prime Minister a that without delay a national system of 1. Transport should be inaugurated, and - as the Railway Department has the y organisation and machinery for the - unified control of the transport system of this country it should be vested in b the New Zealand railways.’'