RAILWAYS FINANCE

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 988, 3 June 1930, Page 16

RAILWAYS FINANCE

EMPLOYEES DISCUSS INQUIRY NEW PROBLEMS SUGGESTED Press Association DUNEDIN, Monday. At a large meeting of the Otago branch of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, the proposal of the Prime Minister, the Hon. G. W. Forbes, to 6et up a commission to inquire into the working of the railways was discussed. The meeting passed a resolution urging that before any adjustments were made the following questions should be inquired into: —(1) To what extent has the policy of previous successive Governments in using the railways as adjuncts to land settlement and development and assistance to industry been responsible for the present debt of £57,000,000? (2) To what extent have railway finances been affected by such a policy and what is the measure of increased revenue through various channels of taxation by reason of such assistance being given? (3) Whether the country as a whole should not now carry its just share of this debt, instead of its being wholly on the working Railways Account, thereby prejudicing the standard of living of those employed in industry. (4) As the railways have been compelled to pay for capital cost of all railway lines, the motor interests should be called upon to pay their share of capital cost of roads instead of being able to use highways paid for almost wholly out of public funds.