THE RAILWAY POLICY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 24, 22 February 1909, Page 2

THE RAILWAY POLICY.

INTERVIEW WITH THE lIO.V MR. MILLAR. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Duncdin, Last Night. The Minister for Railways informed a reporter yesterday that the Government was building at the railway workshops six of the biggest engines ever I built in New Zealand, two being already .completed. They weigh, with tender (loaded) 110 and are the heaviest it is possible to run on our narrow guagc. Ono is now on the road doing splendid work. "If the railways are to be run economically," said the Minister, '•it can only be by increasing the tractive power of the engines, so that one locomotive may be able, to do work which up to the present has needed two. Six tank engines designed for suburban or passenger traffic, other than the express service, are ittso in hand at Hillside, and ten engines have still to be delivered by Prico Bros. Orders ill hand will pretty well meet present requirements, but owing to increasing traffic, further provision must be made. Four hundred trucks are under construction at the workshops in the centres." The -Minister intends to specialise the building of different parts of locomotives in Die different workshops. Tlic Minister is making enquiries as to how juanv trains will -uilia< on (he non-paying lines. He lias already stopped four superfluous trains, and is enquiring with reference to others. With reference to rates, the Minister said: "There is 510 need to take away any of the privileges already granted to the travelling public, and t am in hopes, by, reducing the number of monpaying lines, and by economics elfected by the acquisition of the Mnnawatu line, and the completion o'r the .Main Trunk, that neither long-distance fares nor eonccssioins in freights granted to farmers, etc., will need to be interfered with. After twelve months' experience under the more favorable conditions, I shall he better able to form an opinion of what our railways are tapable of doing."