WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 21 December 1927, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS

COYER X AIE XT 13 U SES. INCREASING FLEET. (Special to “ Guardian.”) WELLINGTON, Dec. 19. The Railway Hoard is extending its iperations in the bus business with a . iow to staying the inroads of private ■nterp.risu upon tlte revenue of its subirlitin lines. Its latest undertaking in this direction is the launching of six additional buses on the llutt road to assist the six vehicles it already Inis on this highway running between Wellington and the -Mandel Block, a rapidly leveloping residential area beyond Petone. Twelve months or so ago a branch railway was rushed through to serve ibis particular locality, but private enterprise got ahead of the Department and managed to establish itself before the trains were running. The buses provided an excellent service and when the railway was opened retained much of the traffic it had secured. Disappointed by this development the hoard has acquired a dozen buses with the obvious intention of running the opposition off the roads and reducing the number of trains failing to pay their way. The hoard applied to the Wellington City Council for permits for its new vehicles last week, intimating at the same time that it had authority to run them whether they were licensed or not. and in due course it obtained what it wanted. DIVIDED orrxiox.

It is due to the Railway Board to say that in making its unnecessary application to the Council for permits it explained that it was taking this course to place itself as far as possible on the same footing as were private bodies. Councillor Luckie, one of Wellington’s capable commercial lawyers, acted as spokesman for the board and moved for the granting of the permits. “ Xow the Railway Department wants twelve licenses,” he said, “and it proposes to reduce the train service. 'l’lie trains are running at a loss and the hoard can run the buses at a profit.” Councillor AleYilly, a former General .Manager of Railways, protested against the issue of permits without first ascertaining if the additional buses were required. Such a proceeding was wrong in principle, he maintained, and unfair to the present holders of licenses. Councillor Mitchell, a former member of Parliament, and Councillor Semple, a well-known Labour leader, also protested. Councillor Mitchell declared that the hoard was seeking to he immuned from a lav under which it was persecuting others. Councillor Semple said he held.no brief for private enterprise—he would have all transport services under State or municipal control—hut he would countenance no man being robbed of his rights or liis property. Sentiments of this kind, however, were at a discount and in the end the hoard got its way Viv a majority of one.

POLITICS AXD HOLIDAYS. Politics and politicians have sunk into insignificance with the approach of the Christmas holidays and even Wellington is able to forget for the time being the dulness and the length of the session of Parliament from which it has just emerged. .Ministers are scattered over all parts of the Dominion, heads of Departments are laying aside their responsibilities and taking up their portmaneaux. and the great army of civil servants, save those of the Post and Telegraph Office, are at. comparative ease. The Prime .Minister, at the opening of the Mokau bridge, and the Minister of Agriculture, at Eltham, managed to make party speeches on Saturday; hut these were directed mainly against Mr AY. ,J. Poison, the president of the Farmers’ Union. anil were rather of a personal than a political character. Mr Coates admitted

" tluit the depression nui.v lust a lilllo longer,” but be pointed confidently to the prices of wool, tlie condition of binibs, and the increased production ol dairy produce, as certain saviours of tbe country. "We have been told,” the Prime Minister said, referring to Mr Poison’s speech at Flthani, “ that the Government is going back ten million sterling a year, but answering that in the politest terms possible, I say such a statement is contrary to fact.” There the matter between the Prime -Minister and Mr Poison may be leftfor the present.

AX rXADFQUATE .RETORT. Tlie Minister of Agriculture, speaking in his own constituency and from the same platform as Mr Poison had occupied only a few days before, quite properly devoted mere attention to that gentleman’s indictment of the j Government than did the Prime Minisj ter in addressing a holiday gathering at Mokau. Jf the summary of his remarks appearing in this morning’s newspapers, however, adequately represents what lie actually said he cannot be congratulated upon tbe efficacy of bis retort. 11 The Department of J Agriculture, of which lie was in charge,” part of this version of bis remarks run, “ had passed thirteen i Bills in the session, which was more

than was ever passed before. . . Ni country in the world was producin' more products than Xew Zealand. The Government could urge the farmers to produce more and export more, but it had little control over the prices ol tbe produce. . . Xo doubt too many motor-cars and tilings bad been imported during the last two years,” and so on and so on. Mr Hawken has ‘lone better service to the Dominion than is implied by the passage of thirteen Bills, and bis assertion that New Zealand is the greatest producing country in the world surely is subject to some revision. in any ease these matters have no direct hearing upon .Mr Poison’s indictment which at least had the merit of elaritv.