THE RAILWAYS
PRESENT-"CHAOTIC CONDITION"
A ROYAL COMMISSION?
Ycstfrflay, when the motinn for tho setting up ot the Railways Committee was betore 'obu House of Representatives, tho Hun. G. TV. Russell moved to amend the motion by referring to the committee a fairly comprehensive inquiry un the present condition of the railway service, with special regard to the cut in train running and liie lack of coal. Mr. Russell moved that the strength of tho committee bo, increased from ten to twenty members 'and that tho. committee be authorised to report on tup following matters:—
(a) The present chaotic condition of the railway service. (b) The causes which led i:o tho present railway cut, and the responsibility therefor.
Tc) Present coal supplies and supplies in sight. (d) The working of the cut aa regards goods tratlie, including the classitication of goods into essential and uon-e&ential. (e) Restrictions on passenger travel. (f) Tho proscnt working condition of the engines and rolling stock.
(g) Tho number of resignations from tho different branches of the service during the past three years, the reasons therefor, and the effect of the war on the staffing and conditions of tho service.
Mr. Russell proposed luat the committee should report to the Ilouso within three weeks. He -yfent on to speak in more general terms of fclio ohaotic condition of the railways at present, declaring tihat ill recent months we had gone back thirty years in the conditions of railway travel ill this country, lie said (ihat ho did not seek at present to blame tho political head of the Department, tlio Minister of Railways. The Minister hixl iii his service an, expert who wns paid the huge salary of .£300,0 a year, from whom some - direction ought leo be forthcoming. His purpose in moving' to set up this enlarged committee with this larger order of reference, wrs (;o sheet home the blame'to tho persons concerned for the present condition of affairs.
Mr. Speaker ruled that the amendment as proposed could not be submitted to thg Hoiisc without ncftico..' As to the proposed enlargement of the scopo of the committee, the terms of the motion originally submitted'• by the Minister wero thai? tho committee should bo empowered to "examine; and report upon questions relating to railways." 1 This'reference wov Id cover all ...that Mr. Russell had proposed in his amendment.
Air. ltussell: But the Railways Committee has 110 power of initiative. Mr. ; Masse'y said that he proposed to ask his colleagues to appoint a Roval Commission to inquire into some of the matters mentioned by Mr. Russell. It would be quite impossible for the Railways Committee to deal with them during the present session. JIo thought the public should be acquainted with tho reasons for the serious state of things with which the country was faced today. The people had a right to know who was responsible, wh<> was at fau.lt, if, indeed, anybody ww at fault, or whether tiio trouble was due to a set of circumstances over which tho Railway Department had no' control. Some remarks had been made by Mr. Russell about the condition of the rolling stock. On this point lie was informed ihat tho rolling 6tock of the railways was never in better order than at present. Advantage had been taken of tho "cut" in services, whiWmuch of the stock was not in regular use, to orerhitiil.it and put it into tho shops.
' s Mr. Russell suggested that the inquiry might l)e made by a special committee of the House.
Mr. Massey said that it would not be possible for a committee of'tho House to make tho inquiry. The men to make this inquiry should 'be unbiased, and should not bo influenced in coming to their conclusions by anv considerations of party politics or anything of tho sort. Sir Joseph Ward asked whether Mr. Massey was to retain the portfolio of Railways-'permanentiy, or lyliether tho arrangement was only temporary. Mr. Massey: Tho position which I have taken ai Minister of Railways is not intended to be a t6mporary one. It is intended to bo a permanent one, and' I hope to fill it for tho next six or seven years-.
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Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 291, 4 September 1919, Page 8
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697THE RAILWAYS Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 291, 4 September 1919, Page 8
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