The Times. Published on Tuesday and Friday Afternoons. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1921. THE RAILWAYS.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 668, 16 September 1921, Page 4

The Times. Published on Tuesday and Friday Afternoons.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1921. THE RAILWAYS.

The Government is up against, a very stiff proposition in the matter of the railways, the position being an unprecedented one. The service is being run at a loss, and it has become necessary to take some action to deal with this. The form of remedy that has been adopted is the curailment of services, but instead of a comprehensive overhaul the action taken gives the suggestion of being rather piecemeal. Obviously in the ordinary course if a service of any sort is not paying its way, curtailment is the first thing that presents itself. But there is another aspect in this case. The country has an immense amount of money locked up in the railways, capital that is unrealisable, and on which in any circumstance interest has to be paid. Further, much of the stock is of such a nature that detoriation is unavoidable and to bring it up to a full state of efficiency will be an expense involving a considerable amount oi money. Thus depricating the serof money. Thus depreciating the service may indirectly be just as costly as running aJt a loss. It seems that expenses cannot be cut in running costs, arid there remains the question of increasing the revenue. It would be satisfactory to know that all efforts had been exhausted in this direction, but it is doutbful if such is so. The whole question appears to be one that should receive the most careful consideration as a matter of policy. There is too much at stake to make any false move.

“We nothing extenuate, nor aught set down in malice.”