THE RAILWAY "CUT"

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 308, 24 September 1919, Page 10

THE RAILWAY "CUT"

,» ROYAL COMMISSION OPENS

GENERAL MANAGER GIVES EVIDENCE

COAL SHORTAGE CAUSE OF REDUCTION

The Royal Commission appointed to'mquire whether the curtailment of the railway services was due to the rolliitg stock having been allowed to fall into a, state of disrepair and not to the shortago of coal tor' railway purposes, commenced its sittings at the Railway Society's Buildings,' Aitken , Street, yesterday morning. The- members of the Commission are Messrs. J. P. Maxwell (chairman). J. Marchbanks, and W. D. Hunt. The chairman announced that Mr. Hunt was unable to be present yesterday, therefore only one witness, Mr. R, W. M'Villy, Genoral Manager of Railways, would bo called that day. Mr. M. Myers appeared for the Railway Department. Mr.eA; W. Blair stated that he was present'to represent the Coal Trade Committee, and he remarked that the Commission might liko to hear evidence from the committee regarding' the coal situation as it existed before the "cut" in the train services was niade.;i His evidence, however, would not be ready beforo Thursday. The chairman said the Commission proposed to take evidence on the state of the rolling stock first.. He could give Mr. 'Blair an assurance that'no evidence regarding coal would he taken' before 'I'hursdnv. ■■'... ' Richard William M'Villy,'• General 'Manager of Railways, taid he entered the railway service in 1870. The instructions ' siven (or the curtailment of • tho train service on July 2 were that a timetable was to bo prepared that would, in effect. 6ave 06 per cent, of the running. Prior to July 2 the mileage the Department was running was 129,000 train miles per week, and the curtailed time-tablo resulted in a train mileage of 51,000, or;' roughly, a saving of 00 per cent. Both'' passenger and goods. services , were restricted severely, and arrangements woro made for the carriage of essential goods only. With his knowledge of railway running he believed -the Railway Statements of 1916, 1917, and 1918. to be true and correct accounts of tho running of the railways. He concurred in the finding of the Railway Commission that the rollimr stock of the railways was in a good mid safe condition, Mr. M'Villy said that, owing to large numbers of men being called up for military service.during the war reductions in tho time- , table had to bo mad?. . That was tho only reason why the time-table had been reduced before the present restrictions came into force. The chairman: What was your reason for reducing the sen-ice on July' 2, 1919? Witness: To save coal. The chairman: You were not influenced by the condition of the rolling stock? Witness: Absolutely no. \ ' The chairman: Or the condition of the ro.nd? Witness: No, sir. Had the coal stocks been sufficient to have enabled- us / to carry on the service would not lravq been curtailed. There, was no difficulty in regard- to anything save coal." • . At this stage the Commission .adjourned I until 10.30 a.m. to-day, the chairman intimating that for. the .remainder of tbiv evidence it was desirable to have Mr. W. D. Hunt present. .