Wairarapa Times-Age WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 1939. OUR STATE RAILWAYS.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 August 1939, Page 4

Wairarapa Times-Age WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 1939. OUR STATE RAILWAYS.

+ TPARNING last vear a gross revenue of £9,345.387 —an amount 1J which exceeded by £7ll/201. Hie then record figure established in the preceding year —the New Zealand railways nevertheless Fell short by £1,717,053 of paying interest on their capital cost at the standard rate of 4 ; } per cent. Net revenue for the vear was greater by £68,000 than in 1937-38, but an increase'in the capital load made the amount of interest to be found from taxation greater by £14,000 than in the preceding A heavy annual deficit in the interest account has become a standing feature of railways financial administration. It is anticipated by the Minister (Mr Sullivan) that in the current y ear _the first in which the general ten per cent increase nt charges will be in operation for a full twelve months—net revenue will increase From last year’s figure of £701,000 to £1,250,000. That measure of improvement will leave approximately half Ihe amount of interest on railways capita] still to be provided from the Consolidated Fund. Probably if there is any method by which the general taxpayer may be relieved of this heavy burden it must be sought in a real I v comprehensive co-ordination of all forms 01. inland transport.' In his Statement, presented to Parliament yesterday, the Minister of Railways claims for the long-range railways'jtolicv enunciated by the present Government that it is one'“calling for courage and loresight in handling- the whole transport situation in the general interests ol public weliare and expresses his appreciation of the co-operation which has existed between the Railways Department and the Department of Transport* in advancing that policy. These are excellent but a great deal has yet to be done before it can be said that the problem of co-ord-inating transport “in the general interests of public welfare” has been seriously approached in New Zealand. A tremendous duplication of capital and other costs and charges remains, as it has been for many years past for long enough, of course, before, the present Government took office —— an overshadowing- feature of our transport situation. Both the Railways Department and the Transport Department are now bringing out impressive bodies of statistics, highly informative as far as they go, but it still remains to set out in clear opposition and comparison the respective and relative costs of railway and road transport. Precisely what the position is in this respect is not readily ascertainable even from the mass of facts and figures now published annually. There is need still of a plain comparative statement of the relative costs of transporting- goods by rail and by road, together with the capacity of the two branches of transport service to deal with different classes of traffic. It seems likely that an exhaustive examination of the total position would demonstrate that under a really comprehensive policy of coordination, a considerable amount of. goods transport by road might be dealt with more advantageously, from a national standpoint, by the railways. In these days, however, of a lavish improvement of main highways, the position is becomingmore and more complex and an economical co-ordination of transport services is not, to say the least, being brought info nearer prospect. It is not, of course, to be denied that railway services are being developed with enterprise and that many of the detail, extensions and improvements of service that arc being carried out are in themselves noteworthy. It cannot be claimed, however, that transport service as a whole is being organised in this country to the greatest possible advantage from the standpoint of public interest. That desirable achievement can he brought into sight in no other way than by creating a national authority competent and empowered to deal with all forms of transport on their merits. With such an authority in existence, it is reasonably certain that a great deal of additional work would be entrusted to many existing railways. On the other hand, an authority of this kind assuredly would have refused to sanction expenditure on the construction of some of the railways now being built. Many detail examples of both railway and road transport enterprise in this country are in themselves impressive, but the total situation remains, as under the administration of preceding- governments, one of considerable muddlement and waste. 'The remedy is co-ordina-tion, directed to the most economical organisation and conduct that is possible of the whole body of transport service.

CAN HITLER SETTLE DOWN? *

JSOAIE rather doubt fill reports of peace plans shaped, by the Axis Powers are of slight effect meantime in modifying an extremely critical and menacing European situation. In the exlent to wl'tieh they can be supposed to have any real foundation, these reports are greatly robbed of value by indications that the dictatorships are at their accustomed and familiar tactics of seeking to divide their assumed enemies and to deal with them in detail.

Italy and Germany are said, for example, to have proposed a conference between the British, French, German and Italian Foreign Ministers, to discuss the Danzig issue and others. Acceptance of this proposal evidently would amount to an affront to Russia which might be depended upon, to wreck any remaining hope of making that country a member of the IGiropean peace bloc. With much besides obscure and doubtful, it remains (dear enough that the best, hope of establishing and maintaining peace is in presenting the broadest and strongest fronl possible to aggression and in making common cause with any nation prepared to co-operate in upholding peace. It must be hoped, too, that Britain and France will insist on concent rating on essentials where the Danzig question and others are concerned. Yesterday’s cablegrams detailed elaborate proposals relating to Danzig said to have been drawn up by Signor Mussolini. If the dictatorships are prepared to agree to the demilitarisation of Danzig in consideration of concessions by Poland which would leave her possessed of a safeguarded commercial outlet, I he way may be opened to discussion. It has yet to appear, however, that, any such proposals as are attributed to the Duce are really being advanced and it. is at best a serious difficulty that good faith is a thing unknown in totalitarian practice.

The oik 1 dependable fragment in tin* lengthy but uncertain reports cabled from Europe yesterday perhaps may b<* the statement that “the plain truth is that nobody has the slightest inkling of Herr Hitler's immediate intentions.” In the extent to which reason, common sense and an elementary regard for humanity prevail, there need be no great difficulty in substituting agreement and settled peace for the conditions that rule in Europe today. Whether the Fuehrer either desires or has power to call a halt in his policy of aggressive expansion is, however, extremely doubtl'ul. Under his leadership Germany is organised on a basis of economic, deprivation and. hard,ship. Many of her people are working harder and longer, for poorer wages, than they received in the days of the great depression.

Thus far Herr Hiller Ims maintained his dominant authority. in these adverse conditions, by prophetic posturing ami by spectacular successes in an aggressive foreign policy. His pose is and has been that of one leading his nation in indefinitely extending conquest. That he should now turn Io a policy of peace and understanding with other nations and apply himself to a genuine reconstruction of German national life seems, unhappily, an expectation much too optimistic to be entertained. Il is upon the const it lit ion and consolidation of the strongest possible peace front that substantial hopes must be based.