THE RAILWAY CRISIS.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 July 1919, Page 4

THE RAILWAY CRISIS.

The statement made by the manager of the New Zealand Railways in explanation of the "cut" in the railway services will not allay criticism. The policy adopted by the Minister and Mr. McVilly will take a lot of explaining away. There has been, it was well known, a shortage of coal, owing to many causes, and the strike in Australia accentuated the position. The Government and ,the Railway Department knew all about the shortage and that the railways were living from hand to mouth. This being so, why did the Government permit the exportation of over 40,000 tons of coal in the first four months of this year, and why did it no.t institute a coal economy campaign months ago in order that the railways and the vital industries might be maintained? In England during the las.t two years of the war there was a coal shortage. Coal was vital to the success of the Allies, because the English mines had to keep the munition works of France and Italy going as well as their own. What did Britain do? Did it fold its arms and close down its railways or munition works? No, it faced the position squarely, and rationed the coal and appealed to everyone, from the lowest to the highest, to reduce consumption. The response was instant and immensely satisfactory. In New Zealand nothing of the sort was attempted. Many industries that cannot jbe considered essential were allowed ,to ! purchase and use whatever supplies they desired, whilst householders, who had a hazy idea that coal was short, were not appealed to to help to gave the situation. Instead, ,the Department, with its customary callous indifference to all but its own interests, simply announced that in a day or two the services would be cut down to a minimum, and that only essentials would be carried. Time was not even given the postal authorities to make other arrangements for the conveyance of the mails between the most important points, whilst, as for the public, they were treated as having no claims at all to the consideration of the Railway Department, /he only interests it is apparently concerned with is the brewing interests, for liquor has been placed on the list of essentials as a "food," whilst people are vainly endeavoring to procure supplies of building and other truly essential materials. The Government, even now, is doing lit.tlo or nothing to enforce economy in the use of coal, except to refuse the payment of subsidies on peace illuminations that entail the consumption of coal. The only checks on consumption are the cost and the sqarci,ty of coal. The public will bear with the Government in any real difficulty, but it does expect a little more consideration and the position to be handled in a businesslike way. I,t is no use railing at the miners, who, the ; Board of Trade has proved, are doing their bit. It is stated on good authority that there never was a time when more -coal was on ,the surface at Westport awaiting shipment. Why isn't it shipped for use on the railways? There are also abundant supplies at Newcastle. Cannot arrangements be made to bring over more shipments? Surely in an emergency like the present the Shipping | Controller at Home would permit of tho temporary use of a few of its transports for the purpose. The fact of the matter is that the coal trouble is being handled in the same bungling way by .the Government that many other matters have been during the past year |,or two, and it seems hopeless to expect | it to rise to the occasion in any j emergency or crisis. Meanwhile great j loss and inconvenience are being inflicted on the public, .the Government is ffpaprtty xeaigned io the worst, aodj

tlio Railway Department quite indifferent to the paralysis that bids fair soon to over,take commerce and industry when the Dominion was taking a new lease of life after the comparative stagnation enforced by five years of war. The present position is a grave indictment agains,t the Government, not only for failing to provide the essential transport services, but also for neglecting years ago to harness the water power of the Dominion for the generation and supply of electric power that would have to a large extent eliminated the use of coal.