RAILWAY ENGINES.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 233, 2 October 1928, Page 9

RAILWAY ENGINES.

WHY THEY ARE IMPORTED.

SPECIAL TYPE FOR MAIN

TRUNK.

EXPLANATION BY MR. COATES.

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. An outline of the Government's policy in regard to the purchase, of locomotives for the Main Trunk line was given in the House this morning by the Minister of Railways, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates. Sir Joseph Ward and other Opposition members had criticised the Public Works vote of £45,000 for railway engines built outside New Zealand. Sir Joseph thought this work should be done within the country. It was in the interests of the Dominion that Che engines should be built here. Apparently things were going from bad to worse. Since last year .£22,000 was voted for New Zealand-made locomotives, and this year only £9000, Last year £33,000 was voted for engines built outside New Zealand and this year £45,000 was being voted. Mr. Coates explained that three Garratt engines for the Main Trunk were being obtained from England. It would have -been impossible to build them here. Whether they could be built here eventually remained to be decided. The idea was to run these locomotives ■ right through from Auckland to Wellington. They would each be able to haul 15 or 1G coaches over grades, if necessary, and would be able to haul not less than teta or twelve coaches right through. The other English locomojtives were required for the Lyttelton tunnel. An endeavour had been made to build them sin New Zealand, but it was found that* everything would have to be imported, and that it would be impracticable to build them here. The responsibility would be on the contractors to supply articulated Garratt engines that would do the-work.-Price 8r03.. of Thames, would do certain repairs. There were shunting engines to be built, and possibly they would do some of them. There was work for Ft •ice Bros, 'scheduled ahead. Mr. Coatee assured the House that these locomotives could not be built here, that the railway workshops were not costing £2,000,000, as alleged, and

that locomotives of other types, free from considerations of patents, would be made in New Zealand. Mr. W. A. Veitch moved to reduce the vote by £1, as a protest against such a large sum being expended outside New Zealand, but his amendment was los by 31 votes to 9.