The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. THURSDAY, MAY 2, 1932. RAILWAY POLICY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4, 2 May 1912, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. THURSDAY, MAY 2, 1932. RAILWAY POLICY.

A very difficult question is dealt with by the? Wellington "Post" in a recent issue-, and in discussing the railways our contemporary remarks that evidently the Premier is looking to the public for a policy of railway construction, but it does not quite sec how he can get definite guidance in this matter without a general election, and even then the mixture of issues might leave any victorious party a trifle dubious about the mind )f the general public on railways. The "Post" goes on to say that regarded in sections the people give the politicians no uncertainty. Each district that has no railway agitates for one, and the railed locality demands an improved service; but this sectional cry for expenditure with which the whole country is debited is not a trustworthy index 'of the policy best, for the country as a whole. Parish pressure has promoted the costly policy of "piecemeal construction," which even some friends of the late Government condemned. Last week a deputation waited on the Premier at Waiuku to ask for a branch railway, and in reply he said: "There are many parts of New Zealand which are far ivorse off for railway construction"than Waiuku, and unless the country comes to a decision regarding the desirability for the construction of these branch railways, I do not think they will go on. At any rate the question will be made a matter of policy for Cabinet to consider." Speaking later on the Hon. Mr Mackenzie remarked that the opening up of the country's fertile lands would be a policy of wisdom, and asked why should productive districts be held up for twenty -or thirty years, when the whole of their produce could be got on to wheels and slipped along to market? To this no answer is given. The "Post" concludes by remarking that "this Ministry's predecessors were much divided in mind on railway policy, and no line was absolutely fixed. On paper the Government's policy was one thing, and in actual fact it was another. Parliament itself has been rarely in a mood to get into thorough grips with the whole subject. Rather the members of various districts got into grips with one another on claims for grants from the public till, ever replenished with borrowed money, and the members themselves have aided and abetted a wasteful method of railway construction during a long term of years. By the building of some political lines (during Conservative as well as Libera] regimes), by an extravagant system of constructing necessary lines, and by charging to capital certain renewals and replacements which should have been wholly or partially debited to revenue, the whole enterprise has been over-capitalised. At 31st March last year the vah.e of opened and unopened lines, was pot down at £31,509,900. Here truly is an immense field for the lion. A. M. Myers to survey. He will noi lack scop.'- for financial and administrative ability. i!v running the rail-

nays along the line of leant resistance tlic Governments of the past have not made profits, but they have coriair.h made work for their successor. 1