THE RAILWAYS.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 September 1922, Page 5

THE RAILWAYS.

IMPROVING THE SYSTEMMINISTER OUTLINES PROPOSALS. SERVICE FOR THE PEOPLE. By Telegraph.-—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The House went into committee of supply to-day on the railway vote ( £6,164,000). The Minister, replying to various criticisms, said that since the war was over the position improved in the supply of locomotives. The departmental future policy would be to administer the railways in the best interests of the country. The general manager was being given the opportunity to get among the public and see what the requirements were, and the heads of the various branches had to shoulder < greater share of responsibility so as to relieve the general manager of detail work. The travelling privileges of railwaymen and their families during holidays would be restored by the next holiday period. Local requirements of service* in various districts were receiving attention, but he pointed out that these matters could not be arranged at once. Officers of the service were instructed to practice rigid economy and to act upon their own initiative where necessary vo a greater extent than in the past. Younger men would have every oppor-, tunity to rise in the ranks according to merit. Occasionally it happened that ft' man was too timid to act with the freedom that had been given under th* new system of administration. Dr. H. T. Thacker (Christchurch East) urged improved conditions in the railway service. To maintain coal supplies it was only necessary to improve miners’ conditions and let them supply the railway coal needs by contract. Limited i sleeper trains should be put on ths main lines, and tourist traffic should be encouraged. Mr. R. McCallum (Wairau) and Mr. W. A. Veitch (Wanganui) stressed th* fact that the Minister was overloaded by carrying on two great departments like railways and lands. The Minister, replying to further questions, said the department had already tackled the question of giving employees better conditions and housing. Co-operative coal mining was encouraged by the Mines Department. The carriage of manure for renewing pastures at minimum freight Tates was ft matter deserving attention, but the department’s first duty was to meet the expenses of working. The system of commercial agents in the North and South Islands had been criticised, but he noticed no. suggestion was put forward as to how it could be improved. Facilities for tourists were desirabl«i but at present that traffic was not very extensive, and would not warrant ex* pensive limited trains to meet it. The Minister, in reply to a question ( said they were doing everythin** possible to cope with motor competition, and he believed they had been able to redeem traffic. The Hon. J. A. Hanan (Invercargill contended that until the finances of the railways improved, such works as thi deviation at Palmerston North and Rimutaka should stand over. Sir G. Hunter (Waipawa) thanked th< Minister for his promise sympathetically to consider a proposal to carry manure* free on the same basis as lime is carried. The Minister stated he had taken s full note of all the questions raised dur« ing the discussion. He would not delay the House by referring to them at that hour, but would carefully discuss each one with the general manager. The vote then passed after five hour* discussion.