RAILWAYS AND ROADS

Evening Star, Issue 19805, 2 March 1928, Page 4

RAILWAYS AND ROADS

HOUSE OF COMMONS DEBATE BILL READ SECOND TIME. LONDON, February 29. The House of Commons is continuing the railway debate. Mr T. Kennedy expressed tho opinion that the railways were seeking the statutory right to go on the roads to the exclusion of their competitors. Their complaint regarding the rate harden was a pretence. The railways’ aggregate rate worked out at one-fortieth of a penny per ton per mile of goods carried.

Colonel Ashley said that no new principle was involved; the railways were simply seeking an extension of their existing powers to participate in road traffic. The railways were taking an increasing part in road traffic in every country. He knew of no case of a. rigid refusal to give such powers. Was the world problem being dealt with in different ways in different countries? He agreed that there were objections to monopoly powers, and he did not regard Bills and safeguards against them ns adequate. Ho would propose an amendment to strengthen them, obliging the railways to obtain the Ministry of Transport’s sanction to institute or withdraw services, hut there was no reason why the Bill should not be read a second time.

Mr J. H. Thomas said that railwaymen feared that their standard of living might be lowered by the competition of other transport workers, but the interests of both the raihvaymen and the companies would be served bypassing the Bill. The amendment was negatived by 399 to 42, and the Bill was read a second time.—A. and N.Z. and ‘ Sun ’ Cable.