"THE RAILWAY MUDDLE"

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 83, 5 October 1938, Page 23

"THE RAILWAY MUDDLE"

In the course of his address at the Congregational Church Hall last evening, Mr. W. Appleton, National candidate for Wellington Central, referred to further facts of the railway, muddle consequent upon the' policy of the Labour Government. While net earnings had declined from £1,087,491 to £632,797 last year, the percentage of] working expenses to gross earnings had | increased from 83.59 to 92.67 per cent. Net earnings had dropped from' £769,000 to £300,000 in three years, and later figures were even more disturbing. One of the reasons given by the Hon. Mr., Sullivan for the poor returns was that previous Governments had failed to keep rolling stock in a proper state of repair, but that was contrary to fact; previous Governments had neglected neither rolling stock nor track. In 1935 the number of engine; reoairs for 100,000 engine miles". ■\yas> 2.93 and in 1938 it was 2.42: of cars andvans, on' the same basis, 8.68 and 3.45 in 1938: and of wagons 12.33 in 1935 and 10.54 in 1938. Each year, said-Mr.: Apploton. the General Manager was; required to certify as to the condition of stock, and there was no indication.1 that in his opinion it was inefficient when Labour took office in 1935.

"While more business was certainty., secured during the last two years," he; said, "the fact remains that for evety-.. £1300 of business obtained it cost th* Department £1700, but this is hardly; to be wondered at when it is known; that during the last; wool season German buyers at Napier made-, a special deal with the Department whereby they had their wool railed to Wellington for 3s 9d a bale, against the tariff j rate of 9s 3d. This not only resulted j in an obvious loss to the railways, but it deprived the Napier Harbour Board of wharfage on the wool."