BRITISH PARLIAMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 2 March 1928, Page 2

BRITISH PARLIAMENT

RAILWAYS BILL Australian Dress Association it Sun.) LONDON. Eeh. 29. The House of Commons continued the Railway debate. Alt' A. Kennedy, K.C., expressed the opinion that the railways were seeking a statutory right to go on the roads to tlm exclusion of competitors. Their complaint regarding the rate burden -was a pretence. The railways’ aggregate rate worked out at onefortieth of a penny per ton of goods l>er mile. Mr W. Ashley said no new principle was involved. The railways were simply seeking an extension of existing powers, to participate in road traffic. The railways were taking an increasing part in road traffic in every country he knew of, and there was no ease of rigid refusal to give such powers. It was a world problem, being dealt with in different ways in different countries. Mr Ashley agreed that there "ere no objections to monopoly powers, and he did not regard the Bill's safeguards against them as adequate. lie would propose amendments 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. Air Thomas (Labour) said the railwaytnen feared their standard of living might be lowered by the competition of other transport workers. The interests of both rnilwaymen and the companies would Is- served by passing the Bill. The amendment was negatived by .'199 to 12 and the Bill was rend a second time,