Railway control.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 November 1921, Page 1

Railway control.

CH (M HERS OF COM .MEIU E DEMAND. lip- Tin.KUii.vi'ti -I*Kit minus association] CIIRISTCHI'RI 11, Nov. 21 At the Chainfims of Commerce CmiI'creinv, a lemit several humlivd wands long, was brought tonvaid by the (an tcrbuiv Chamber, advocating tbe appointincut of a uoii-polilical board rc--poositde to the Hovernmeut and to I'a i balin-nl to, the construction and control of the railways. M j 11. .1. Marriner. in moving the icioii, said ilnn a similar proposal had been biought up and endmsed by previous eoiiierences. T’he whole railway

system was "rotten to the core as a commercial undertaking," and the time bad arrived when U should he brought under the eontml of commercial men. Mr .1. K. Waters (Dunedin) did not agice with Mi Marriner that the conIcrcncc had always agreed with the proposal. He questioned if even the General Manager’s deplorable conlesSion that tlu* service was making a rlaily loss of CI7OO would convince the Governiiieiit that it might to give up its political control of the railways, tovclliei with tin* right of patronage that o:-s so dear |o the politicians. Mr Waters moved, as an amendment, the rsaffir■mnticin of the following remit. passed by the eonferei.ee in November last, “That, in order to elinnn,,lc political intliieiii-o, and to promote ter eflieioncv and economy, all the railways in the course of construction :uut in prospect. be taken over by the Rxilwav Department, and that tins conference affirm the principle of nonpolitical control.” Mr C. H. Young (Wellington) seconded the amendment. Tt w r as hardly

in- Mnill, t<. Minin' tin- linil'vitv IV- ■ >;i r 1 ini'iit. Tito railways won- u I’ 11 ‘ lO n-rviee, ami had Keen earned oil under dillicuHies for flu- convenience of tin' public. , , Mr Mairimw said llmt no was pu- , art'll to ac< opt Mr Water's ame.idmont Tbo object of the proposal. was simplv to o<'t tin- railways out ot.tlu' liaiids of I 111' politiiaiis. and to ensure that, tliev To run in tlio interests of the ' \lr Water’s amendment, lieeomim; tile motion, was carried without dissent.