MODERN TRANSPORT

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 194, 17 August 1931, Page 14

MODERN TRANSPORT

Overhaul of New Zealand System Urged. FEWER RAILWAY STATIONS Mr L. C. Walker addressed a large and attentive gathering at the W.E.A. on Saturday evening, when he spoke on “ Transport Problems and Possibilities.” Mr Walker spc.ke on the related problems of the pipe, hoof, motor, railwav and shipping. He gave the pipe the pride of place for tonnage transported. Apart from water and sewerage, he said, oil, gas and grain were transported on this medium in great volume. U.S.A. had built 00.000 miles of long-distance gaspipe alone in the last ten years. Some cities drew their supplies from sources 1000 miles away. A ton of coal converted into gas could be pumped from Greymouth to Christchurch for one shilling and twopence per ton, or one-third of what electricity could be sent by wire if 2000 tons a day were handled. According to the Transport Department report, motors, horse-drawn and railway transport was costing New Zealand £43,000,000 annually, added Mr Walker. If shipping was added, it cost New Zealand £1,000,000 a week, or £3 8s a family a week. He thought wage-cutting to be a ridiculous economy when compared to the possible savings in the national transport bill. Though Mr Walker considered that by the drastic reorganisation of the railways they could be made to pay on half the present fares and freights, they compared more than favourably with motor transport from a taxpayers’ point of view. For every pound that the taxpayer paid for railways he paid £4 for roads. A total of £7,700,000 was spent on roads in 1928-1929. Heavier Taxation. Motors should be taxed much heavier, said Mr Walker, but on the contra side the motor fuel bill could be cut by millions by national organisation. A Diesel tanker could transport oil 10.000 miles for 13s 4d a ton. Bowser stations should be fewer and should be on a pipe line adjoining railways for twenty miles from main ports. Taxpayers should be relieved of £3,000,000 to £4,000,000 per annum, and of this the motorists need only pay one-third. The rest was waste. On the hoof, 100,000,000 tons of grass was lifted and transported by cows and sheep, continued the speaker. Machinery had brought a revolution in farming- The tractor had made the world farm lands vaster for human needs. The horse, who had required five acres for support, was going fast. Mr Walker used many slides showing the machinery by which major farms could be worked to produce fodder to supplement the smaller farms. Ensilage, he said, should be made in 10,000-ton stacks. He then showed a truck and trailer, equipment which could deliver this twelve miles away from the base for Is a ton. By this means, along w’ith the new grasslands management, small farm production could be doubled. Railway Reorganisation. Speaking on the subject of railways, Mr Walker said that three stations out of four should go. Special trains for coal, stoc.k and timber should be run. These could be loaded and unloaded in a few minutes. Stations should be better equipped. Deisel-electric locomotives should be introduced at once. He showed plans for a large train-ferry which could focus shipping for overseas and as a result New Zealand could get bigger and cheaper vessels to transport her produce. Mr Walker showed cheap methods of building ports by the pontoon system, and said that they had just done some work in England by this system for a quarter the cost of that of any other system. Many questions were asked and were answered readily, after which a vote of thanks was given.