THE RAILWAYS.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 July 1919, Page 4

THE RAILWAYS.

! The railway position is not improving, I but steadily getting worse, if we accept | the statement made in Wellington yesI terday by the General Manager of Railways, who said that, whilst there were 12,400 tons of coal in hand at the time the restrictions were imposed, the supplies to-day had been reduced to 8900 i tons, notwithstanding the consumption was fifty per cpnt. less. We were told the other day by Ministers that coal supplies had improved since the cut was made, and that there was something like an accumulation of 70,000 tons in sight, with more to follow, The twd statements are difficult to reconcile. Mr. McVilly states that the railways require hard coal. Presumably the railways have been obtaining this coal from Newcastle, and the restrictions caused by the Australian shipping strike have put the railways in the hole they are to-day. If this is so it shows bad management in the past on the part of the authorities. Hard coal is available in New Zealand, and surely the mining of it could have been concentrated upon rather than that such a vital thing as the railways—the arteries of our economic system—should have been dislocated as seriously as they are to-day. Any wise management would have endeavored to obtain two or more strings to its bow. No doubt the war conditions have made it difficult for the railways to carry on, but all other undertakings have had the same experience, only in less degree, and succeeded in getting over their troubles by the exercise of a little foresight and resource. The railway management, however, when adversity comes, simply throws up its hands, and busies itself in finding excuses for its own shortcomings, instead of improvising and endeavoring to maintain its services. If hard coal is not available ia there no substitute? But is the shortage of coal, after all, the real cause of the stoppage of the mail trains ? Are there other reasons that have not yet been disclosed? The public are certainly not at all convinced by the various statements made by Ministers and the railway manager on the subject. Perhaps we will obtain enlightenment next week when the Premier and Sir Joseph Ward, return,