"FROM BAD TO WORSE"

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 205, 15 September 1937, Page 3

"FROM BAD TO WORSE"

Raiiways Under Ministerial Control MR. HARGEST'S ATTACK Mr. J. Hargesfc (Nat., Invercargill) attacked the raiiways administration when speaking in the House of Representatives to-day. He said that none had made sueh a failure of it as the present Minister of Bailways, who had been entrusted with the control of the largest business undertaking in New Zealand. Since 1932 under the Bailways Board, the raiiways revenue had been increasing steadily, and in 1935 the raiiways' were in the best condition they had ever been so far as finances were concerned, but since then they .had gone from bad to worse. He criticised the Railway Department for taking over road transport services, and said that, instead of attempting to increase the railway services, they should concentrate on tho present servico and -make it a success. The Hon. D. G. Sullivan said he was. particularly disappointed at the attack on the raiiways administration and by a reflection by the previous speaker that the serviee of 20,000 railwaymen to-day was not so good as when under the control of the Bailways Board. The Minister pointed out that the restoration of wages cuts and the 40hour week had increased enormously the working costs of the serviee, and he was perfectly certain that, if the raiiways had been under any thing but Ministerial control, it would have 'had very substantial increases in fares and freights to recoup ltself for the losses incu'rred by the liigher wages and shorter working week. It was one of a few ' industries in .the country that had not substantially increased its eharges to the public.