PARLIAMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 15 April 1931, Page 4

PARLIAMENT

the house. <Jiy Tclejrnph—Ver L’ress A ssociation) WELLINGTON, April 16Jn the House of Representatives in moving the second read o! the Government Railway Amendment Bill, Hon, G. W. Forbes said that it had been argued lrom experience under Commissioner control previously was sufficient to render it inadvisable to revett to such a system to-day. He pointed out that the conditions within the country to-day wore vastly different. The question of development was not now of such a vital factor as it had I,ecu formerly, and for that reason i fc was now possible to look upon the railways more iroin a commercial point of view. A hoard of directors would bring into co-operation the ability of trained business men and trained railway servants. The Leader of the Opposition, said the Prime Alinister, would he thanked by the country for seeking to remove the railways from political control, a step of which the Opposition approved. However, Air Coates said, he appealed to Mr Forbes to keep an open mind on the matter, because as the Bill stood it way difficult to see how de-political, isation was being accomplished. For in. stance the Bill gave Cabinet a certain amount of control alid he asked the Prime Minister to consider adopt' ing in New Zealand a system similar to those in Canada and Belgium. 16 would he preferable to havu legislation that definitely separated the railways from political control. The Leader ot l the Labour Party said that it seemed to him that the House would have had more to be thankful for if a Bill had been brought down providing for the co-ordination of transport services. That was the real problem to-day. The Bill did not achieve de-political isation. Hon. Veitcli said the need for co-ord-ination of the transport services had been receiving the Government's constant attention. Both the Railway and Transport Department, had been examining details and he lioped it would soon be possible not only to devise a measure for meeting the requirements of the present position created by uneconomic competition, but to obtain Parliament’s sanction ior it. Referring to the question of the extent of control to he left in the hands of the Minister of Finance, Mr A r eitch said all that was desired was that there should he that amount of contact between the Treasury and Board of Directors that would make it possible for the Government to know at any time how the finances of the railways were standing and whaff provision was necessary when the annual Budget was liebeing prepared to meet any losses that might occur. Ah - AVilkinson said unless better reasons foi’ tlie changes proposed by the Bill were brought forwnkd, lie (lid not think the country would endorse it. ft had to bit remembered that the had before it a measure affecting sixty millions of capita], and the wellbeing of eighteen to twenty thousand men. Tho matter was big enough for an election issue, as it affected the whole people of the Dominion. The Government had no mandate for the change proposed and he for one was satisfied the public did not want the Bill. He was definitely opposed to it and desired to move an amendment—“ That the Bill be read a second time this day six months.” Afr Black seconded the amendment. The debate was interrupted by the rising of the House at midnight.