A CHALLENGE TO THE RAILWAY DEPARTMENT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17347, 30 September 1924, Page 6

A CHALLENGE TO THE RAILWAY DEPARTMENT.

A challenge has been flung at the head of the Minister of Railways. In a recent statenlelf‘t to Parliament, he quoted the opinion of the general manager that the loss on the working of the Otira tunnel for a nuinher of years would he not less wthan 3:70.000 per annum, and that the advantages gained for the community by linking up the East and \Vest systems were at the expense of the financial interests of the Railway Department. Last evening the president of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce said that this statement was astounding and that the figures given were misleading. Another member complained that the De—partment showed little inclination to reduce the loss by encouraging traffic from East to \Vest. One result was that a very small quantity of goods was shipped through Lyttelton for the Midland line. It is now the turn of the Minister and his chief executive otlieers. Can they ofier any explanation on the points mentioned? The people of Canterbury and the \Vest Coast have a right to know the exact ground for the pessimistic forecast made in the Railways Statement.

If Mr J. \V. Davis, lately U.S. Ambassador to London, succeeds at the Presidential election, there will possibly be a change in America’s policy towards participation in the affairs of Europe. Outlining his programme a few weeks ago, the Democratic candidate said: "\Ve cannot accept the dictuin that the League of Nations, so far as the United States is concerned, is a closed incident. I am serenely confident that the day will come when this great question will be lifted far above the" plane of party politics. If I become President, America will sit as an equal among equals. I cannot reconcile the dignity of a great nation being represented at international gatherings under the poor pretence: that she is ‘an unofficial observer.’ ” That is Mr Davis’s View to—day. If he gets to \Vhite House, circuin—stances may force hilii to reconsider the question. Personal desires are one thing, as Dr \Vilson found, and public sentiment is another.