Supporting The Railways.

In an editorial article on “The Railways and the Motors,” the “Grey River Argus,” in its issue of 14th April, makes the following observations, which will be read with interest by all railwaymen:—

“The State undoubtedly has, in the matter of transportation, done for New Zealand far more in the provision of cheaper service, and thereby in developing the country in a uniform way, than private enterprise would have done in the absence of public enterprise. The public cannot afford to forget that fact. If the masses should ignore it they would be the ultimate losers because their travel and transport would eventually become more costly than it is to-day… The producers, farmers, millers, coal producers, owe a lot to the railways, and they would never get the same consideration from private motor interests, and since the whole community is dependent as much on the cheap transport of commodities as of persons, it cannot afford to patronise a service which caters only for light traffic. If, however, the motors are allowed to make inroads on railway transport in a gradually increasing degree, the ultimate result must be very serious for New Zealand generally.”

Apropos of the above, it is interesting to place on record the decision of the Waikato Hospital Board that in future the goods required for the hospital shall be transported from Auckland by rail, instead of by motor lorry as was the custom hitherto. The chairman of the Board (Mr. Campbell Johnston) said that while no doubt a saving was effected by the present method, the question for the board was whether a public institution such as the hospital should not use the railways. The decision to do so was unanimous.

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