RAILWAY SERVICE.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 October 1922, Page 6

RAILWAY SERVICE.

TARANAKI MATTERS. VISIT OF COMMERCIAL AGENTS. GROWTH OF MOTOR SERVICE. Messrs. J. Mason and F. A. Grant, the recently appointed commercial agents for the New Zealand railways, met the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce at the Victoria League rooms yesterday afternoon, when matters of general public interest concerning the railways generally, and of New Plymouth’s needs in particular, were discussed. In introducing Messrs. Mason and Grant. Mr. T. C. List (president of the Chamber) said that their chief idea in being present at that meeting was to make themselves known, and to receive any ideas or suggestions in regard to improving the facilities in New Plymouth. and extensions of the trade o-f the district so far as they concerned the railways. He was sure those present would be with him in extending a very hearty welcome to Messrs. Mason and Grant. It showed a spirit of enterprise on the part of the department, which had not always been apparent in the past, to have appointed those gentlemen to a position whereby they were Sable to meet the commercial men and talk things over and have their difficulties placed before the department.

MANY REQUIREMENTS. The Chamber had many requirements, because they had a growing town and a growing port. The Railway Department was inseparably bound up in the development of New Plymouth, and for that reason, as well as for others,•'they were very glad to meet Mr. Mason and his colleague that afternoon. On behalf of the Chamber of Commerce he wanted to sav how much they appreciated what the Railway Department had done for them during the past eighteen months. They had had their provincial services very much improved. They had made advances to the department to have the mail service improved, and they had nut what they considered a reasonable and practical ease before the general manager in Wellington. They were also suffering for want of poods accommodation at New Plymouth, and improvement in that direction was imperative They understood that the denartment j had difficulties in the way of finance. etc., hut something must bo done in the , near . future if reasonable treatment I was to be given to importers in New ; Plymouth and throughout the province. They also wanted the agents’ assistance in securing access to the new wharf which they were about to build. This matter had always been a bugbear, and they did not want anv regulation like the one at present existing in rei spect to the new wharf. He would like I to assure Messrs. Mason and Grant of their appreciation of this latest move- ! ment on the part of the department. ' towards meeting the requirements of i the district. Tn past, it seemed to him. and to a good many others, that the department had been lagging behind where it could reasonably have anticipated the needs of the town and district, but he was hoping that this was going to change. The department must do something in order tn combat the competition that was creeping in by reason of the. success of motor services, and if the railways were to hold their own the department must not waif to be asked for improvements, but initiate them on its own.

MR. MASON’S REPLY. After expressing appreciation of tlie cordial welcome which had been extendied to his colleague and himself. Mr. Mason said there were many things the management of the railways would like to have done, hut owing to conditions arising out of the war they had not been able to undertake them. They, as men of the business community, would appreciate the difficulties of the present time, which were affecting not only the railways, but also some of the well established businesses of the Dominion. They were all aware that shortly after Mr. Hiley came to New Zealand in 1912. he had outlined a scheme of improvements for the railways. Some of these would have been put into effect long since had not the war come along and prevented the department from doing so. The present general manager was one of the most progressive men in the Dominion, and a man with a wonderfully high conception of his duty. Mr. McVilly had a very heavy responsibility as general manager of the railways. which had a staff of 15.000 and a capital cost of forty million pounds sterling, and he had about as good an idea o-f the requirements of the different sections as most people.

FIRST HAND IDEAS. With regard to access to the new wharf, Mr. Mason said that he was not conversant, with the position, but, as commercial agent, it was his duty to make himself conversant with the conditions and needs of the district and the views of the local bodies and the Railway Department’s clients generally, so that he could represent those views to the management. As commercial agents they-were not advocates for the department, neither were they apologists. but they had to get first hand the ideas of their clients, and represent, them without bias to the management.

With regard to the affairs of the department generally. Mr. Mason continued, he would like to give them a few facts and figures as an indication of how the department had been up against it during the past few years in consequence of the war. The railways, in the first place, wore constructed to expedite the settlement of the country; they had never been regarded as a purely business proposition at any time during their history. The Government, in 1896. set the policy of the department, earning 3 per cent, interest on the capital cost, and this policy was continued until 1910. when the rate was raised to 33 pe r cent. Unfortunately the department was unable to contribute that rate last year: it produced only 1.1 per cent., there being a shortage of just over one million pounds in the revenue. That shortage was brought about by the trade depression and the general slump conditions. Prior to that the department was required to pay its in-

forest charges, and, according to the 1896 policy, any surplus was devoted to the reduction of freight charges and improvements in the service. During the period 1896-1910 the department had given in concessions to the public something like £2,000,000. as well as paying interest and contributing about £1,700,000 to the Consolidated Fund. In a business concern this last amount would have been placed to reserve, and had the railways been able to draw on it last year it would have enabled them to pay. The department had been largely used to foster industries and assist in settlement. It had been carrying, for farming purposes, lime free for distances up to 100 miles, cream and milk at rates which were not remunerative, and also stud stock and returned empties, etc., for the purpose of assisting the pastoral and farming community. In addition it had performed a very great service to the country in carrying very large numbers of children to school. It received 12s 6d per quarter for each child, which rate could not possibly pay.

MOTOR COMPETITION. “Regarding motor traffic.” Mr. Meson went on, “anybody who has given any thought to this subject must realise that the motor traffic has come to stay, but they should realise that it is going to compote against a great national undertaking. We. as a community, have spent £40,000,000 and have 3600 miles of railway, and we must consider whether the motor competition is to be allowed to continue under the existing conditions.” The department had carried road metal for local bodies at a nominal rate which was unremunerative, he continued, and this metal had been carried for the very roads on which the motor competition was taking place. The question was whether lorries were to be permitted to destroy the roads, as they were doing, without contributing to the national revenue. If the lorries and other motor vehicles were to be permitted to use the roads practically free of any charge—which it seemed would not be the case under the Highways Bill—he did not think that the railways should be asked to compete under the conditions now prevailing. The lorries were depriving the railways of their legitimate traffic. They were poking the eyes out of it by tnkinf A class goods, but they would not undertake to carry road metal and such commodities as manure. Mr. Mason concluded by stating that the department always welcomed honest criticism, which could do a lot of good.

ACCESS TO THE WHARF. Mr. C. E. Bellringer (chairman of the Harbor Board), referring to the question of obtaining access to the new wharf, said that they wanted access, but he could not very well deal with the matter there, as there were several important details to consider from the engineering standpoint. He understood that the general manager was coming to New Plymouth in the near future, and the board hoped to have the opportunity of discussing the matter with him. It had been a very sore point with Taranaki for many years that the Railway Department had, by proclamation, taken away their right of access to the wharves, and the district had felt that it was very sorely handicapped.

Mr. J. S. Connett (chairman o-f the Taranaki County Council) mentioned the difficulties under which the county councils had labored owing to through motor traffic on the roads, and said he appreciated the difficulties of the Rail way Department in regard to motor competition. He urged the need of an parly train service, and said the great desire for it was shown by the fact that the motor people had found it good business to run a motor service into New Plymouth in the morning. Mr. F. E. Wilson (Mayor of New Plymouth) urged that the department should make up its mind where and when it was going to make the railway extensions in New Plymouth. It was very difficult for the local body to make its plans for developing drainage. water services, etc., when the department hesitated whether it was going to make the goods yards at Moturoa or New Plymouth.

INCREASED FACILITIES. Mr. Grant spoke briefly on the necessity of developing the primary products of the country. Settlement had taken place and then the railways had followed up. Unlike Canada and America, where the Government gave grants of land to railway companies, which the company immediately opened up and sold, they had to wait on the settlement of the country. Regarding Mr. List’s statement of the necessity of improved goods shed accommodation, alterations to the yards were now under consideration, and he had no doubt that the shed question would also be considered. The provision of access to the new wharf was a matter for technical experts, but lie would like to mention that it was a matter for very careful consideration. Dual control was not very satisfactory. Speaking on the speeding up of the mail train. Mr. Grant said that this was largely a matter of arrangement. It was certainly not an express train to have it stopping every few yards along the journey.

SPEEDIER SERVICE NEEDED. Mr. List said that, with reference to the mail train, he did not know whether they realised it spent two hours in stoppages between New Plymouth and ; Wellington, and further, that from ( ! Palmerston North to Wellington it served the purpose of a local train. The Napier express had only a few stops. Similarly, in Taranaki they had several stops at small places which could be cut out. The Chambers of Commerce were agreed upon that fact, and ne urged that a slow train should precede the mail train. Regarding the motor traffic, Mr. List said he thought the motor competition had been brought on by the department itself. It had not catered sufficiently for Hip public. The department had' now to face (lie position it had) itself created, and must meet the' competition on business linos. They’ had agitated for an earlier train service l into New Plymouth, but at the present time people could bo brought in from Waitara by motor in half, an hour as against an hour and a half or two hours by the railway. The railways at one time had a considerable traffic between Inglewood and New Plymouth, but now the motors had practically all of it. To meet the competition . the railways would have to be up and doing; it was no use saying the motors must be pen-

alised. In closing, Mr. List said he would like to say how much they appreciated the work of the railway staff at New Plymouth, who were doing magnificent work under very great difficulties. Answering Mr. H. Cocker, Mr. Mason said that motor vehicles had been tried on the railways, but they had not been a success. Improvements, however, were being made in motor engines every day. and it was possible that they would ultimately be a success. With regard to the motor competition, he did not suggest that the motors should be penalised. What he asked was whether it was fair to allow the motors to use the roads without paying for the privilege, seeing that the public had invested so much in the railways. Up to the present time the motors had been largely responsible for the destruction of the roads and paid nothing for their upkeep.