A Parliamentary Note-Book

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 164, 1 October 1927, Page 8

A Parliamentary Note-Book

Railways Discussed, (From Our Parliamentary Corre.npond.er.tf WELLINGTON. To-day. For nearly eight hours members d the House of Representatives discussed the Railway Statement today, and it was well after midnight whea the House went into committee to discuss the railway estimates, £6,571,915, which were passed at 1 o’clock. The Prime Minister said the House w ould sit on Monday evening, to complete the Estimates. This was challenged by the Opposition, but on a division the Prime Minister’s proposal was carried. The House rose at 1.10 a.m. until 7.30 p.m. on Monday. In the Legislative Council the Land for Settlements Amendment Bill, the Counties Amendment Bill and the Fungicides and Insecticides Bill were received from the House, read a first time and second time pro forma and referred to committees. The Dangerous Drugs Bill and the New Zealand Institute of Horticulture Bit were also received from the House a:id read a first time. * * * More Night Trains More night trains, and still ® CT * night trains, are asked for by members of the House of Representatives. Mr. W. D. Lysnar wants night trains between Wellington and Napier, whiie Mr. H. L. Taplev asks the Government to facilitate Otago business men s visits to Christchurch ty the establishment of a fast night service which ■would provide comfortable sleepers, •fc & * Burden of Branch Lines Experience of other countries has taught the Railway Department here that the motors are fast taking tnshort haulage traffic, and the visd' 1 - of concentrating on the long haul been recognised by the; author*” In corformity with this recognition Sir Joseph Ward considers tnat trunk lines should be completed, am the best method possible adopted get rid of the big burden o;i branch lines —preferably by the es lishment of a special sinking fund. Next Stop The suggestion that each rail**? station in New Zealand should on it the name of the station on _ side, up and down the line was fO- - Mr. T. M. Wilford, member Hutt. , , rnudn Mr. Wilford said that he had ®a his suggestion to the some years ago, and he wou jf ? DO ,; again. Even if it were repudiates it might, as sometimes happen • brought forward as original a years later. (Laughter.) the Mr. Wilford had noticed that on Japanese railway stations the na p the station was placed un<l ®J .ome ° f and on each side of it was ,Re . aD ,i the next station to | e n south. , he man“l put this suggestion to , buager of a tube railway in tkj 0 a he didn’t think much of i-> -ojter Mr. Wilford. ‘ Then I told ai£ on another railway aDC ' a . t ._ " t he sn£* afterwards got £1 for g gestion to his superiors! abo uc Mr. H. G. Dickie, Pal tea: [U W charts, like they have n» trains? „<,r(enc<? of Mr. Wilford: With my e *P e r the lighting of New Zealan tjnlo should say you’d be yoitf striking matches and bumP head against the rail?