THE RAILWAY CURTAILMENT

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 11, 8 October 1919, Page 8

THE RAILWAY CURTAILMENT

COMMISSION HEARS EVIDENCE IN CIfIUSTCHUECH.

By Telegraph—Press Association,

Christchurch. October 7. The Railway Commission Bat here this afternoon. George Edward Richardson, engineer in charge of the locomotive department in the South Island for the last four years, said that in July of this year the rolling stock was in good order, and no complaints had been made by the public or anybody else. In the matter of re. pairs he ha* liad no difficulty sinco July in obtaining material for repairs. At one time the Department constructed rolling stock on a large scale, but there was liow a falling off. During the last four years no officer had reported adversely on tho rolling stock. The condition of the rolling stock was not tho cause of the recent train curtailment. The short supply of coal was the cause. There was only fivo days' supply of coal in Chrß!<;!nii"i.i al the time of the curtailment. , , To Mr. Mn.rchbanks: They had sn/h----cicnt skilled workmen to carry out all repair work. Thoy used Wairio and Waronui coal. The engines stonmed all right with Nightcaps coal. Requests wero made for coal, but none was forthcoming. To Mr. Hunt: Repairs had been carried at Addington. During the war eleven new locomotives had been built there, and 37 at Hillside (Dunediu).

Henry George Brooks, workshops manager at Hillside, said that on July 1 the rolling stock was in good order, and since then just a, normal amount of repair work bad been carried out. lie rolling stock 'had nothing to do with the railway curtailment. Similar evide'f'O was Riven by other responsible officers of the Department. Arthur Eeasoy, assistant locomotive foreman oil the Christcluirch section, said (hat none of the drivers had reported adversely upon this portion nt the railways, which were in good condition and running order. This concluded the Chri.-tchurch sitting of the commission, unless further evidence is advanced. The commifsioii will to-morrow inspect Addington workshop?.