RAILWAY COMMISSION.

Taihape Daily Times, 27 September 1919, Page 6

RAILWAY COMMISSION.

9 j ’ VWELLINGTON, Sept. 24. _Francis Taylor Morison, locomotive engineer at 'Petone, and recently -sta.~ rtioned at Newmarket, gave evidence on 'ithe lines of the previous witnesses as to the condition of the rolling stock_iand the efficiency of the stafi. To Mr Marchbanks: As -much Crown coal as could be obtained was 'usedMore men were lost out .of"i.he shops than out of the running 'depal'-f-lllell’€S-There was no shortage of tyres or axles. There was a shortage of fitters, -but they were not all permanent hands. In reply to Mr Myers, witness said the efficiency in regard to repair Work at Newmarket continued to ‘improve. » George Arthur Pearson, assistant chief mechanical engineer, stated that lle_agreed with the findings of the A Railway Commission in 1917, that -the ,' condition of the rolling. stock was good. ’There had been no trouble in regard to maintenance stocks. With the present engine power greater mileage could be run than in 1916. A More carriages had been put on, and the cars were in exceptional condition. In 1918 2,000,000 amiles less were run than in 1919, and that would tend to reduce the number of engines, cars, and waggons to be \_ repaired. Brown coal was not Euitable for fast services. \Vest Coast and Newcastle were absolutely necessary if fast ' services were ‘to be maintained. The -‘tendency was to reduce the consumption of brown coal. 9 Relflying T 0 Mr Myers, witness. said that when in Auckland recently he found the condition of the engines and other rolling stock to be remarkably. good. The ‘Department con'tiii'u"edV its ; lbuilding programiue until 1917, when it was suspended. Should it be decided to proceed with a fresh building pro--gramme, the departments would be in a position ‘to ‘commence operations. To Mr. Marchbanks: The position re-

garding engines was 11o1'n1o1’ in the W'el- - ‘district, . “ ‘Edward James Guinness, chief clerk in-' ‘the stores branch of the Railway Department, said there were 'ampl‘e mupplies of springs on hand‘. He <let.a-il-ed ‘various orders that ‘had -been given for drawbar and bearing springs, tyres, and axles.» I-lewvas absolutely satisfied aufficient stores were coming forward and were on hand to meet all requiretzmenrts; Al 5 no time in the past two years had there been any shortage, and the branch had been C'ongl'a~fulating itself on the position in which it found itself.“ A " To Mr Marchbanks: Stocks for railway purposces had received excellent (lesp‘atch from the Old Country during ‘the war. "In answer to Mr Hunt, witness added that if 8. programme of building were ordered he would Abein the position of being alike to meet neéirly all the :nlands_. V , Mr M_\'ers intimated that it was not proposed to can further witnesses at ‘that . St-age. ' ' ,The clmirznan said the Commission

ltliouglxt it should visit; the So"utfi‘l ,lsland for the purpose of seeing ‘tfhél , workshops at Addmgton. -and obtaining" information regarding the rolling steak in the South Island. Some local wit- , nosses iniiglft. also wish to be lioard. land‘ .the Commissioners did. not wzmts iff'..to~ _:be said {he Commission never went near the Soutli Island. So far as the coal question W-as concerned, it was _ hoped to deal with that matterih Wel- ' lington. V '- " "‘ i The hearing of further (zviclencieizvéds ltlmn adjourned until to-morrow.