BRITAIN'S ECONOMIC PROBLEMS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 153, 24 March 1919, Page 5

BRITAIN'S ECONOMIC PROBLEMS

REGENERATED TRANSPORT THE

SOLUTION

HINT OF STATE CONTROL By Telegraph-Press Association- Copyright (Rec. March 23, 5.5 p.m.) London, March 22. Sir Eric Geddes, moving in the Houso &f Commons the second rending of the Ways and Communications Bill, said that a. regenerated system of transport was essential for the solution of the housing, health, agricultural, and a great variety of other problems on which the future of the country depended. The present system was wasteful, disorganised, arid semiparalysed. Private interests must yield to the State's interest. Private enterpriso meant colossal waste. He was not committed to tho nationalisation of the railways and other methods of transport, but it might be necessary to adopt it some day as the only way of obtaining an economical and uuiiiecl system. New .working co3ts due to. wages and other high charges would' cripple British industries unless some methocl were found for keeping freights and fares down. Uxperts, he- continued, had estimated that unity of control in the railways would result in the saving of twenty millions yearly, but something more drastic was necessary. The greatest saving could be effected by the introduction of electricity. The waste of empty haulage before the war was colossal, and would be largely eliminated by the. Government acquiring 700,000 private wagons which ofton travelled empty. The railways at present were working at a loss of a quarter of a million daily, and would receivq the Government subsidy for a further two years in accordance with the pledge, given at the oubreak of the war. Ihe development of motor traction involved keeping the roads in good condition m the most important agricultural districts, Mr. T. P. O'Connor, in moving the rejection of the Bill, said that practically every dock and harbour authority in the kingdom was in arms against the Bill. Mr. J. H. Thomas announced that Labour generally would support the Bill in principle. Sir Donald M'Lean approved of the measure. It was desirable, he said, to check unnecessary competition, but competition at tho docks' in the past had lostered shipping. Mr. Shortt said that the whole intention of the Bill was to'have a broad national outlook in developing traffic instead oi local competition. The question of nationalisation must'be determined by the House of- Commons. It would be impossible for tho railways to return tp the system of unfettered competition—Aus.K.Z. Cable Assn. • .