“ GENERAL MANAGER’S HANDS ARE TIED.”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19238, 27 November 1930, Page 5

“ GENERAL MANAGER’S HANDS ARE TIED.”

CONTROL OF RAILWAYS CAUSES DISCUSSION. “ That the Government be urged to take notice of the Railway Commission’s report as it affects the removal of the railways from political control,” was a motion carried unanimously at yesterday afternoon’s meeting of the North Canterbury executive of the Farmers’ Union, when a letter relating to the question was read. A circular from the Manawatu and West Coast Agricultural and Pastoral Association stated that a resolution had been passed recently urging that the Government should give effect to the Railway Commission’s recommendation that control of the railways should be removed from the sphere of politics and handed over, to an independent board of directors. It was thought that if the Government was not seized of the desires of the people Cabinet might be disinclined to give full effect to a recommendation that might be deemed drastic.

The chairman (Mr C. M’lntosh) urged that instead of being put on unproductive work on the railways the unemployed should be sent out to clear undeveloped land, of which there were thousands of acres available. Undei the present system many of the men had the big job of appearing to be busy when the boss came round, and he maintained that political control of the railways would see them go from bad to worse. Mr R. T. M’Millan maintained that at present the hands of the general manager were tied by political influences and he could not make the railways pay. With the present position it was absurd paying a high salary to a man who could not function. Mr M’lntosh said that he was in favour of the Main Trunk line going through, but he was of the opinion that the men were wasting public money using wheelbarrows and shovels on land where the work could be done with the aid of horses. The Government was putting men on as an excuse to pay wages, and there was not a great deal of work done. It would be far better to send out some scoops and put a number of the m6n in camp in the city, supplying them with sustenance — that would be a cheaper proposition.