RAILWAYS STATEMENT.

Shannon News, 28 August 1925, Page 4

RAILWAYS STATEMENT.

MR. VEITOH'S CRITICISM. WELLINGTON, Last Ni^ht. The discussion on the railway stateWent was opened to-day by Mr. W. A, Veitch. In referring to a report on railway matters, he said the Commissioners were on the wrong lines in recommending that good money should be sent out of the Dominion for the purchase of locomotives, which could be built in the country. It was said that these imported engines would be more powerful than the others and therefore would be ecoEomical, but they had not proved so. It was absolutely absurd on the part of the Commission to say that the whole of the repairs for the North Island should be done at one place-—Petone, If there was. to be concentration, it should be upon a place somewhere near the middle of the Island. Mi*. Coates read seetion D2, where that is dealt with. Mr. Veitch contended that the present working conditions were not making for harmony, but were creating discord between the traffic and locomotive branches of the service. The driver and the fireman wprked a 44-hour week and the guard on the same train had to work 48 hours a week. Not long ago, the railwaymen har been led into a strike which was a mistake. Thiey had been led into it by ill advice, but they had since made changes in the offices of their Asso T ciation and the Minister should now improve their conditions. A spirit o'f vindictivenless should not be entertained.