RAILWAY COMMISSION.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 October 1919, Page 7

RAILWAY COMMISSION.

DEPARTMENT'S EVIDENCE REBUTTED. I BY MUNITIONS BOABD. , By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Railway Commission, resumed sitting this afternoon. Mr. A. H. Miles, a member of the Coal Trade Committee, and of the Munitions and Supply Board, said the Board's aim was to advise the Minister as to where he could secure supplies of coal. It was; only after August, 1917, that they undertook the work of rationing ceai. They had regular advice from the railways as to their requirements, but they had some difficulty in obtaining figures from the Department. All along the line, his committee did not get the hand of fellowship extended to them from the Ra.lway Department that they were entitled to. The main object was to keep the railways supplied with all the coal it could possibly obtain for them. Preference was given the Railway Department on every possible occasion. From the start of the difficulty the Board realised the importance of the railways to. this country. It realised, however, if the Railway Department were in control of coal distribution what would happen to the other industries. If the Coa t Trade Committee had not existed there would have been great disaster throughout the country to ocher industries. The Railway Department would have had coal, and their evidence showed how difficult it would have been once they got hold of it. Mr. Miles said the committee had really allowed the Department more coal than it should have got, with the result that Auckland narrowly averted being plunged into darkness, and it had to borrow a quantity of coal from the Department to lend to the Auckland gas works.

The chairman: Well, sir, I would like to say at this stage the Board's reputation will survive all attacks made en it-

Witness considered it was his duty to his colleagues to say that those charges made by the Railway Department officials against the committee were not only unwarranted but uagenerous, although they would not admit it. He added they got more coal with the assistance of the committee than they would have without it. Of course, they would not admit this. They would not admit anything. In answer to the chairman, witness said the committee did not exercise any control over local shipping. Witness: My committee urged the Government to appoint local controllers of shipipng. We found vessels going in other directions which should have been kept in the coal trade. Our advice to the Government in this connection did not, however, prevail. Witness added that the Union Company had boats engaged in cargo carrying to Vancouver and San Franciseo which he at the time considered might have b»en diverted to the coal trade, but doubtless there were reasons for their bein" kept in their original channels. ' Deferring again to the allegations of the Railway Department, witness remarked that had Mr. Ackin only known what had taken place between Mr Hiley and the Board he would have been less ungenerous than he had been. "I can only stigmatise Mr. Ackin's attack on the Board as contemptible." Witness, continuing, gave three instances where the Railway Department had turned down offers 'of freight t" import coal to the Dominion for its uses. He quoted the case of the Rauranga, which in February, 1917, was offered to the Department at 21s per ton, 3000 tons. To tie Board's surprise the Department turned the offer down. This was not a high freight rate Mr. Myers: I say that our (the Departmental) file as far as it goes shows it was accepted- If vou have any flies to the contrary put them in. Witness rejoined there should be a file at the office to the effect that the offer was turned down. If this did not turn out to be the case, he would withdraw the charge he had made. His impression was, however, that the Department refused to accept it. In answer to further questions, witness said in April, 1914, the Department accepted the freight rate' of 21s per ton for the Kumara, showing they realised they had made a mistake in' not previously accepting the offer of the Rauranga at a similar figure. With an offer such as the Rauranga turned down the board was less keen in hunting around for other ships for flie Department. To. Mr. Blair: The Railway Department asked for coal control in lftl'J. ■Ships were the difficulty. Coal could be got provided transport could be made available. He entirely disagreed will? the suggestion of the 'Railway Department that if it had been left to its own devices it would have got along all right. Had the Railway Department taken all offers of ships made to it, it would have had more coal.

Mr. Blair: What caused the railway cut? ' '

"Witness: The railway representatives say that the Munitions and Supplies Board was responsible for it. To my mind there can be no question but that the cause was the shortage of coal, and nothing else. The "go-slow" policy, strikes and acute position of shipping •luring the war period were the reasons why the Railway neyartment could not get coal, and nobody could get it for them.

Brief evidence was given bv Francis Wililtim McLean, chief engineer nf the railways. In answer to the chairman, witness said there was absolutely no foundation for the suggestion that tlte state of the railway was in some degree responsible for tite curtailment of the service Witness pointed out t.iat if the Department kept the line in sufficiently good repair for, say, onu train, there was no reason why two trains or more should not run over the same line. The stock of rails had been sufficient to keep the railroad in thorough repair. The Commission adjourned till Thursday.