Branch Railway Operations
Government Railways Board's Policy. Position Explained.

In its reply to representations regarding the Tapanui branch railway, the Government Railways Board recently outlined important features of policy in relation to railway operation and its bearing on the general transport position in districts served by branch railways. The General Manager wrote to the local authorities, inter alia, as follows:—

“While the Department believes it is getting the major portion of the traffic from this district it is quite apparent that there is still a substantial amount of legitimate railway traffic being conveyed by road and, in view of the final decision at which the Department would wish to arrive, namely, the retention of the branch line to Edievale, the Board wishes to emphasise that it is in the interests of your district that this competition should be discouraged. The Board, therefore, desires to invite your further assistance and the efforts of those associated with you throughout the district in the direction of securing entire support of the railway system by all interests in your territory.

“According to present indications, the goods service licensing provisions of the Transport Licensing Act will be brought into force in the not very distant future. When this happens the Department's competitors will be required to make application to the licensing authorities of their respective transport districts for licenses to operate their services. The principal questions for decision in the case of each applicant are, according to the Act:

1. The extent to which the proposed service is desirable or necessary in the public interest; and

2. The needs of the district or districts as a whole in relation to goods transport.

“If, after considering these matters, the licensing authority is of opinion that the proposed service is unnecessary or undesirable, it must refuse to grant a license. On the other hand, if, after having regard to those matters, the licensing authority proposed to give further consideration to the application, it is required to take into account, inter alia, the applicant's financial position, the frequency of the service, the charges proposed to be made, the other transport services (e.g., railways), the vehicles proposed to be used and the conditions of the roads to be traversed.

“A licensing authority is also required to take into account any evidence and representations received at the hearing and any representations made by local authorities page 24 or other public bodies likely to be affected. It must also give due weight to any petition presented to it signed by not less than twenty-five adult residents of any locality affected. A petition has more weight if one of the leading signatories presents it at the hearing. Thus, if the settlers and others in the localities affected are satisfied that their economic welfare requires the continued operation of the train services their interest coincides with ours and they ought to take the opportunity afforded by the Act of placing their combined and considered views before the licensing authority.

“In anticipation that the people of the district will exercise the right conferred upon them by the Act and thus protect their own interests, the Board, with a view to maintaining unimpaired the railway system of the Dominion, has, after very careful consideration of the representations made in this connection, decided to continue for the present the operation of the Tapanui branch line and to afford the requisite services.

“In arriving at this decision, the Board desires me to emphasise the absolute necessity for the securing of all traffic to rail in order that the action taken may be fully justified. The Board will be glad, therefore, if you will be good enough to take appropriate steps to further stimulate traffic to the rail thus assuring the Department of the undivided support of your district, on which measure of support the ultimate operation of the line necessarily depends.”