DEBATE IN HOUSE ON NIGHT MAIL SERVICE TO WANGANUI

Wanganui Chronicle, 28 October 1948, Page 4

DEBATE IN HOUSE ON NIGHT MAIL SERVICE TO WANGANUI

Railways And Newspaper Bus Contracts (O.CA PARLIAMENT BLDGS., Lost Night -As the question as'.ed by the member for Wanganui was originally framed, it appeared to be a deliberate attempt to misrepresent his (Mr. Sheat’s) attitude toward a recently-established night mail service from Wellington to Wanganui and Taranaki, said Mr. W. A. Sheat (Opp., Patea) in the House of Representatives this afternoon.

Discussion arose at quest ion | time over a question asked last . week by Mr. J. B. Cotterill i (Govt., Wanganui) of the Post-” master-General. The question as it appeared on the order paper today was: "Whether he i will give assurance to the people of • Wanganui and Taranaki that addi- ; i tional facilities provided for these districts through the recently estab- j lished night mail service will not be •: cancelled.” |i The Postmaster - General (Mr. : Hackett) replied: “There is no in- • tention of cancelling this service, : which has provided very much im- ( < proved facilities to the district men-| ’ tioned.” 11 Mr. Sheat reiterated that at no time had he advocated discontinuance 1 of the service, but if the member for ■ Wanganui had been absent from the ; House at the time the service was : brought to the notice of members he : could, to some extent, be excused < Mr. Sheat went on to say that prior to the commencement of pub- : lication of the “Southern Cross” the ' Railways Department ran a bus to ’ Wanganui, leaving Wellington at 2 < a.m and carrying the “Dominion” “ newspaper and passengers. This bushad provided a convenient emergency service which, however, was i discontinued when the “Southern ' Cross” started publication. There was < no protest from the member for j < Wanganui that the public was being deprived of a useful service, nor did I the honourable member protest when ' the Railways Department stopped 1 running a car that was carrying the j J “Southern Cross” into the district. ;: That car brought no passengers to < Wanganui, but took passengers down I“ to Wellington each morning. That ’ service was stopped because it was , i no longer required when the “South- : 1 ern Cross” used its own transport It,' was a convenient service for those 1 desiring to make an early morning : trip to Wellington, but to his know- i ledge, the member for Wanganui had ’ not protested against the loss of that ! benefit to Wanganui travellers. Mr Sheat said that there was evi- < dence that strenuous efforts were be- J ing made by trades councils in vari- > i ous districts to secure mail contracts 11 for the “Southern Cross” distribu-1 i tors. Mr. Cotterill said that when he re-I1 turned to Wanganui two week-ends ’ previously he had found considerable ■ 1 public concern about the statements! ‘ made by the member for Patea re- f I garding the night mail service. 11 Mr. Sheat: I received no objection. | < Mr Cotterill said that the member j 1 for Patea now denied that he advo- i cated cancellation of the service. I

Mr. Sheat: I do deny it. Mr Cotterill said it was clear that the member for Patea had advocated a discontinuance of the service, although he had suggested in its place something less satisfactory. Mr. Sheat: I never at any stage suggested it. . Mr Cotterill said it was pleasing to have the Minister's assurance that the service would not be discontinued. as it. enabled mails posted in Wellington as late as eight o’clock to reach Wanganui and Taranaki the following morning. The member for Patea had endeavoured to create the impression that the Government had cancelled the previous newspaper service operating between Wanganui and Wellington, when he knew very well that the "Dominion” newspaper had cancelled its contract with the Railways Department, because the "Southern Cross” newspaper had commenced deliveries in the same area Mr Cotterill said that that had made it uneconomic to continue the service and the responsibility lay not. on the Government but on the “Dominion” newspaper. Some other means had had to be found of providing a night mail service, and that was the reason for the establishment, of the present service, which was a worthwhile one for the people of Wanganui and Taranaki. Mr M. H Oram (Opp., Manawatu) said that the member for Wanganui, who had asked the question, had endeavoured to give an entirely erroneous impression to the country I Mr E P Aderman (Opp.. New Plymouth), said that the member for Wanganui knew that Tarahaki required night-mail service, but was I not prepared to give the full facts regarding tile delivery Before cancellation of the "Dominion” newspaper contract the "Southern Cross” was using one of the Railway Road Service buses to Wanganui for distribution of its papers. When the "Southern Cross’ Distributing Company was formed, in which one person had at least 50 per cent, of the shares, the bus was cancelled That was not the only Railway Road Service bus cancelled. At least three were cancelled in favour of that company, and when the company was set up the contract was made with it. The original type of service with the Railway Road Service bus was adequate and satisfactory, and the mails could have been distributed throughout the area. The union which was involved was incensed at the cancellation of the buses. It had 2000 shares in the "Southern Cross,” ■ but when asked for 100 per cent rise the union refused to give the increase. and one of the reasons behind the refusal was the cancellation of the bus. The discussion then lapsed.