SOUTHLAND INDIGNATION

Hokitika Guardian, 22 August 1930, Page 2

SOUTHLAND INDIGNATION

Mlt VEITCH’S SUGGESTIONS 1 . WELLINGTON, August 19. The announcement that the Southland 5 Farmers’ Union proposes to organise im indignation meeting to protest against the closing of branch railways in the province suggested questions to-the Hon W. A. Yeitc-h, Minister ; of vR-nilways, regarding the position. • '

“It is not for irie to decide whether an indignation meeting shall be held,” replied the Minister. “No good purpose can be served by that, but I am only too anxious to meet representatives'nxen from tliat district to see whether a modus Vivendi can be reached for keeping these lines in operation. Et is the definite intention of,the Government to relieve tho taxpayer of the enormous load of railway losses which are occurring, especially on branch lines. I suggest that valuable service would be rendered to Southland by holding a conference of representative citizens to devise means of minimising the inconvenience through some method of organising goods traffic, thus guaranteeing the railways against operating losses by bringing business back from road transport to the railways.. It is obviously unjust to the taxpayers that unprofitable lines should be kept open merely to enable local residents to bargain for lower rates from road motor transport services. If people will only use trie railways to'an extent which will-elim-inate operating losses, not even providing interest on capital those lines can be kept open. Already in some dis-tricts-local committees have been set up. to', organise business for the railway and only to-day I was consulted by representatives of a district in Canterbury on this matter, and there is a reasonable change of an arrangement which will enable their local railway to continue operating.