The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1929. THE RAILWAY POLICY.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 October 1929, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1929. THE RAILWAY POLICY.

Tins HawAliy enticement tins year was ol spe.ial, interest because of the icngiliy review by the General Manager attached to the Ministerial oLUtement Mr Sterling discussed aspects of policy in a \ory clear manner, and i aised the issue of making the railways pay, under various guises. The Statement was on the tame of the w House long enough for members to ootain a grip of the matter set but for consideration, and there was the -ext provided lor many interesting speeches in .the course of the debate which resulted last week. Mr Coates wlio was a very active Minister of Hallways in times past, and therefore had a dear knowledge of the ramincaLions of the railways and the policy issues, was on familiar ground, and aismssed the report with interest. He spoke particularly on the further commercialisation of the service, and drew special attention to the risks involved in fresh policy proposals affe.ting construction, no doubt having the South island Main Trunk in mind. Another interesting speaker was Mr Downie Stewart, the ex-Minister' of Finance, whose duty also it had been to’'know something of the . details of' the railway administration, and ItlMpleV Mvas *n the direction of requiring lines to, pay reasonable in possible already in respect to some lines. Mr. Holland/ of...the Labour Party, desired to see that the railways Mould be placed on- the. same footing. as roads and regarded as a utility service; and the Minister of Railways wound up the debate by saying that the system was passing through a-per-' iod of transition, and that adjustments would have to be made before they could speak of the lnilways paying. Alien a country is young and undeveloped, considers an Auckland paper, in discussing the substance of the speeches, the consideration of development must weigh heavily with a Government in its railway policy.. If railways were never built unless there was an assurance that they would pay from, the outset, few would be built.'.A Government is: entitled ,to say that a railway is justified because . \i wilt open up country and will -.eventually retiurh a profit. It is, however, nearly sixty years since Vogel introduced his great railway programme, . and - conditions’ are very different now from what: they were then. A great i deal of develop', mental work has been. done. Good, roads have been built alongside railways, and the motor has proved itself a formidable competitor. Mr Downie Stewart does not contend that lines should pay from their inception, but he docs say that some standard should be..set, and he argues that if development is to be the only aim, then the. taxpayer has no protection This last is an answer to Mr Holland’s declaration in favour of service and not. profit To adopt fjuch .a. policy- would be to throw, commercial prudence -to the winds and do away with all checks, on extravagance. The i ideal Of profit sets up some sort of a -harrier against waste. Nor is the analogy of the roads as good as Mr Holland thinks. For one tiling, the country now, imposes special taxation for their upkeep. The Minister’s contribution to; the debate showed" that, as was. expected, he, is bringing business principles to bear, on his task, but as a- statement of,, policy it was vague. , The truth is that he is in an unenviable position. He has taken over the Department most thickly 'beset with difficulties, and he is feeling his way. Success or failure will be determined largely by construction pol cy, whi h is why so many neople are dubious about the Government’s promamme of new Tnes. The forthcoming Public Works Statesent will therefore be exceptionally important. The main plank of the

overnment regarding its railway policy is to finish main lines which it is considered desirable to link up. The North Island folk do not take kindly to the completion of the South Island main trunk, but the Government is set in' its purpose, and it will be specially provided for in the Estimates. The Government has received in some quarters censure for stopping certain railways, but credit is not given; for the action. So far as can be judged the position has been weighed carefully and the Government is prepared to do what it thinks best. If the House be tested on that issue, the Government will win, and its policy will go forward. Meantime the Minister of Railways along with his staff is no doubt giving all issues the fullest attention.