RAILWAYS AUTHORISATION

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 37, 8 November 1920, Page 4

RAILWAYS AUTHORISATION

RIVAL DEVIATIONS DICUSSED.* When the Railways Authorisation Bill was before the House 'of Representatives Mr. W. H. Field (Otaki) expressed surprise that provision was being made for the Palmerston North deviation. He had understood that the Government hod' agreed, after receiving; a petition on the subject, not to proceed with this expensive deviation until the suggested Levin-Greytown-Foxton deviation had been considered. This'larger deviation would make a big saving- in mileage arid haulage, and it would be cheaper in the long run than the proposed changes at Palmerston North. He had anticipated, in view of what had been said previously, that the Prime Minister and the Minister of Public Works would, make no decision until they had gone over thq ground. It appeared now that the deviation -around Palmerston North had been approved. He was satisfied that a huge mistake was being made. The district had relied upon the Prime Minister' 6 promise that nothing would be done nntil Ministers had been over tho ground".

The Prime Minister denied emphatically tnat he had broken any promise What ho had said was that he would take an opportunity of going over tho ground befoTothe work was commenced. He had been informed just recently by tiie people concerned that it would be impossible to 6tart tho work between now and next session, or nntil after next session, umess the necessary legislation was agreed to now. Tho work would not bo commenced until both the Minister of Public Works and '■ himself had seen'what was contempleted. But they knew perfectly well thnt the work at Palmerston North was second in importance only to the work required tat Christchurch. Mr. Hiley had said ttiat, and tho Government must recognise this expert opinion. It was only with thegreatest difficulty that tho railwaymen at Palmerston North could do their work. The relieving of the present situation was urgent. But the work at Palmerston North , would not proceed until the Ministers were satisfied that it ought to proceed. But in tho meantime, the authority was being'taken in order that there might be no unnecessary delay if the Palmerston deviation was approved. He had broken no promise. The Bill was put - through all stage 3,and passed.

ARRANGEMENTS FOR TRUCKING STOCK NEED FOR IMPROVEMENT IN THE YARDS. Mr. O. J. Hawken on Saturday suggested to the Minister of Railways' that there was room for a great deal of improvement in the arrangement of the trucking yards for stock at the

various l railway -stations of the country. He believed that thousands of pounds were being lost every year on account nf tlie unnecessary knocking about rf stock, and the demurrage of trucks. He migge=ted that half a dozen competent officers of the Dennrtmimt fi.ould bo

directed to study the miction and proruse improvements. At Hawern, one of Hie biggest trucking stations in' New Zealand, the trucking yard had only one gate. When stock arrived liv the trnni at liiglit, they had to !<•> put through tlio yard ln v which were tho cattle awaiting fruckinp next morning. , The cuttle in the ynrd had to 1m put dn the road wl'ile the other animals went through. This state of affairs hnd existed for about SO vears. and it had not vet ('"eurred to the Department that tho thing to do was provide another gate. , Mr. MSssey said'that lie would j.sk the General Mnnnuer of Railways to investigate the question.

BIRTHS REGISTRATION - PROVISION FOR CARELESS PARENTS. The Births and- Deaths Kegistrntion Bill, which provides facilities -for the registration of births that were not registered at the proper time, was before the Hbuse of Representatives on Saturday. Mr. W. T. Jennings (Waitomo) considered that ,the Government should .not penalise peoplo who registered late. Some people \in tho backblocks had not registered their ohildren because of tho difficulties in tlieir way, and while ho was not defending their omission, he considered, that nothing should bo dono to discourage them from repairing it. Therefore he wns against any increase in the fee for late registration. The Minister (the Hon. G. ,T. Anderson) said thnt the fee would be ss. where the sixty-two days' limit was exceeded. If thero wero no penalty for exceeding the timo limit, ho wns afraid the peoplo would grow callous, nnd noglect to register within the prescribed period. He would not favour any proposal to reduco tho feo below 55., but he did not intend to go beyond that figure. Tho Bill was passed without amendment.

THE METALLIFEROUS MINER AND

COAL-MINING

A QUESTION OF QUALIFICATION,

The House having disagreed with the Legislative Council concerning an amendment mode by the latter Chamber in tho Coal Mines Amendment-Bill, n conference of' managers appointed by the two branches'of tho legislature was held on* Saturday afternoon. Tho question at issue was how far Parliament should go in extending the section of tho principal Act which prescribes the experience a miner must have before ho may be put in charge of n place in a con! mine. In the view of the House, tho Council had opened tho door too wide to the metalliferous miner. As tho result of the conference referred to, a compromise was reached, and tho managers recommended their respective Houses to agree to an amendment that would permit a man to be put in chargo of a placo in a coal miao when ho had had at least two and a half years' experience in driving, Btoping, timbering, or shaft sinking, or in rises or winz6s in connection with underground motalliforous mining, together with six months' experience at the face with an experien'Skl coolminer in underground coalmining. Both Houses adoptee; the recommendation of the managers,