RAILWAYS CRITICISED

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 510, 13 November 1928, Page 8

RAILWAYS CRITICISED

GOOD ROADS WANTED SOME LINES WILL NEVER PAY “I am of opinion. that some railways are a thing of the past as far as passenger traffic is concerned. What we want is good roads.” In his address at St. Mark’s Hall, Remuera, last evening, Mr. H. R. Jenkins, United Party candidate, severely criticised the railways, among other things. The above remark followed on a statement that some of the railways in New Zealand which had been started 30 years ago were not finished yet, and he was of opinion that they never should he finished, as they would never be used even if they were.

Mr. Jenkins stated that quite recently a business man had told him that he was afraid to travel on the railways because there had been so many accidents.

The Liberal Government, up to 1912, had constructed 2.800 miles of railways at a cost of £31.000.000. From that date the Reform Party had built a further 366 miles at a cost of £25.000.000. The candidate left his audience to draw its own conclusions. Ho then went on to speak of the desire for good roads instead of the railways which would be non-paying propositions. Mr. Jenkins referred to a viaduct on the Napier-Gisborne line, which it was estimated would cost £1.000.000. The whole road could be made for that amount, he stated. When the railway was finished it would not be used. Farmers would take their wool either to Gisborne or to Napier by motor-lorry, instead of transhipping it to.'the train. It was folly to go on building the Rotorua-Taupo railway, and one railway in the North (the candidate did not mention which one) was costing £BO.OOO a mile. This undertaking, he said. should be stopped at once. It was a waste of public money and money which should be used in the construction of good roads.

Mr. Jenkins quoted figures to show how the railway department was reducing its freights in order to capture trade from the Northern Steam Ship Company, which, he said, was one of the oldest institutions in Auckland and one which had done more for the progress of the province than any other similar organisation.

The rail freights to Fra’nkton Junction from Auckland were: A. 63s a ton; B, 545: C, 445; and D, 34s Sd. and yet a flat rate of 25s a ton was charged to Te Aroha from Auckland. Similar reductions had been made in the freight charges from Auckland to Thames, though the distance was much longer.

Mr. Jenkins said that he would not mmd the railways taking the trade if they were a paying proposition, but they were losing £1,000.000 a year. Then again the railways gave concessions on the carriage of manures and phosphates. What about the farmers in the far north, where there are no railways and where the manures and phosphates had' to be carried by boat? he asked. Why shouldn t the shipping people receive tne same concessions?

At question time a member of the audience asked Mr. Jenkins if he were in favour of making the railways safe. It is the duty of every Government to make them safe.” was the candidate’s reply.

Mr. Jenkins, who was given m attentive hearing 1* a crowded house was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence, on the motion of a woman who urged those present to return the United Party to power so that New Zealand could once again hold her title of “God’s own country.”