THE RAILWAY CUT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16496, 5 August 1921, Page 4

THE RAILWAY CUT.

DEPARTMENT COMMENDED. Mr H. J. Marriner, chairman of the "Railway Committee of the Chamber of Commerce, stated yesterday that be would call the committee together next week to consider the matter. Looking at the cut as outlined iu the •'“Lyttelton Times,” Mr Marriner said it- seemed at first blush that it was going to cut Terv seriously into the working of the railways, and of the Dominion’s commercial interests, but for some time past it had been apparent to most persons who bad studied the question that the expenditure had been mounting up enormously, and that the revenue, to some extent, had decreased, and that something would have to be done to meet, the deficiency. I consider,” said M.r Marriner, that the Railway Department has taken a very bold action, and that they are to be commended on facing the trouble as they have done. This is bound to cause a number of people a great deal of inconvenience, especially in the country, which we deplore, hut that some economies must be made is apparent. It is very questionable, howover, whether what they are doing is going to save a great deal. ft will he a saving iu fuel, but a. great item is the labour question. Ts the Railway Department going to turn off a lot of men owing to this drastic cut in the service? If not, then it will hardly justify what> little economy will be effected- 'They have tried to keep the main lines open as far as possible, a.nd some of the feeders to those lines for years back hare been a drag in the community owing to their working expenses being so heavy and the returns sc small. The bulk of the goods traffic. as far as farmers are concerned, will not be very large during the next month or two, and therefore they are justified iri cutting out some of these trains. We must face this problem of finance, and owing to the stringency throughout the whole world it is only just and right that the farmers and the commercial community should deny themselves some of the facilities which have been given them iu the past, and face the inevitable. Otherwise, vre shall have io economise in other directions and also add fresh taxation, because in all probability there will be less revenue from Customs this year, and also from income tax owing to the loss of business ?:nd profits, and less importations. Although we deplore the drastic rnear-nre which the railways have taken, at the same time we think it is a step in the right direction*”