RAILWAY POLICY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 438, 22 February 1909, Page 5

RAILWAY POLICY.

CONSTRUCTION OF ROLLING STOCK., ,■ ( NON-PAYING LINES. STATEMENT BY THE HON. J. A. , ' ■ MILLAR. (BI TSIEBBArn—SrXCIAL COBItESrONDENT.) " Dunedln, February 20. 11 We aro building at the Government workshops six of tho largest engines evor buiit in . ' New Zealand," said tho Hon, J. A. Millai this "morning when asked by a reporter if any new works had boon put in hand. "Most of them are boing built at Addington, nnd two of thorn are already completed. Thoy weigh, with tondor (loaded), ninety tons each, , and are tho heaviest engine it is possible to

run on our narrow gaugo. They are oomi pound engines, nnd will bo known as tho X type, The ono already"on the road is doing ' Bplendid work. It takes tho. passenger express" on tho North Island Main Trunk from Taihapo to Taumnrunui, the heaviest part of the route, as it includes the 'spiral , and a number of stiff igrades. .It hauls ton passenger cars, a mail van, two brake vans, and a sleeping car over the, heavy grades with tho greatest easo. " If the railways aie to bo run economically it 'can only bo by increasing,tho tractivo power of tho engines, so that one locomotive may be ablo to doolie work which up to tho present'has' needed two." As an instance of the economy of big engines,, ho mentioned that tbo "A" class of • engines, which tho Department havo built, nnd are still building, use,lo percent, loss coal and a good, deal less water than the engines formerly employed on the samo class of haulage. '■ • , 'The .Minister also stated that six engines nro being built at the Hillside workshops. j Thov sro tank enginos designed for suburban work or for passenger traffio othor than the express service. Tien thero are ten locomotives still to be leceived of the contract for. tho supply of twenty by the Thames, firm of Price Bros., who are delivering them at tho rate of ono every six weeks. On being asked whether the rolling stock had hitherto been allowed to fall behind requirements that so many new engines had to bo built, Mr. Millar said that so far as engine power was concerned the orders in hand would, . when ■ completed, pretty well moet present requirements, but with the constantly , increasing traffic tho Department would have .to make further provision. Tho opening -of tho Main Trunk line necessitated 'a certain number of now engines designed for that special work. * Hitherto tho financial position had.only permitted of provision being made for'a yearns-. requirements. >In ordering Btock tfie calculations were made on tho basis of the traffic of the preceding year, but the Department's business increased so rapidly that by tho time the new engines and rolling stock were on iho load thero was still a shortego. - • i " If .wo went in for a tig building policy for a year," said tho Minister, "and got sufficient rolling stock to equip us right up to date, then tho hands in the workshops would havo to bo materially reduced afterwards, for there would.be no' Work' for them. It .would ' also mean, a 'heavy expenditure in the one year. Taken all round, we are getting pretty well up to requirements. Wβ have 400 trucks * iii"hand, and carriages aro in hand at Newmarket, Petono, Addington, and Hillside. Wβ had to have a big building programme to equip the Main Trunk, on which.' line we , have three trains i wining at one time." , The Minister states that he intends to specialise the building of different parts of locomotives in the''diiierent workshops. Instead, of'each shop turning out a complete engine, ono shop .would: do all tho" boilers, , niiother shop would specialise in another branch, and all the parts would be forwaided to ohe shop and put together there. Tho motivo of this plafi was economy, as at each - shop there would be a gang of 'experts'trained in ono particular branch of locomotive construction. , -, "Questioned about ' how ho proposed to deal - 1 with ~non-paying lines, Mr. • Millar said it . would bo impossible , to cease running altogother on them.. He is already making inquiry' 'as , how few trains will suffice to copo with tho traffic on them.' Ho has as- ' ceftained that extra trains were put on owing to representations that tho traffic warranted it. 'In districts where population is increasing," and it is shown that the facilities are 1 below requirements, ■■ lie will put on _ extra - trains from time to time, Without particularising,, Mr. Millar said that bo had already slopped four of these superfluous trains,' and was ■ making inquiries • into a number of others. ' , , ."What about rates? ,1 Mr. Millar was ' asked, and he said I :—',' Our long distanco fares aie ench that for any distance over 150imiles you can'travel (second-class) at Id/por, mile. • Take Auckland to Wellington, 437 miles, and <• faro is only 225. Thore is no noftd to take- away any of the privileges already granted to the travelling public, and I ahl in hopes that by reducing 1 the number of' non-paying linos and by'the economies effected by the acquisition of the Manawatu " lino and tho completion of, the Main Trunk / lino, noitherthe long distance fares nor thp _ concessions in freights granted to farmers', " €to., .will noed to bo interfered with. At any rate,' after twOlvo months' experience under tho moro favourablo conditions 1 shall be hotter ablo to i form an opinion -of what our railways are iiapablo of doing." ' . ■' NO CENERAL INQUIRY. .Mr. F. M. B. 'Fishor, M.P., has received 'the following lottor from the Hon. J. A. 'Millar, Minister for Railways:— \ " Dear Sir,—l bsg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 4th inst., suggesting , that the present timers opportuno for tho i batting up of a commission to inquire into the , working of the-whole 1 railway servico of the Dominion. In reply, I have to say that the suggestion , cannot' b6-ontertained. Tho responsibility for tho railway policy of tho country must rest entirely with /the Government.—Yours faithfully, ' "J. A. MILLAR."