LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 233, 2 November 1929, Page 6

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

Per Press Association.

SEVERAL BILLS DEBATED. RAILWAYS AXD DEYELOP51ENT.

WELLIXGTOX, Last night. The 'Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. to-day. Ainenclments submitted by GovernorGeneral's message to the Land Laws Amendment Bill were agreed to . The Council also agreed to amendments made by the House in tbe Law Practitioner's Annendment (Solicitors Fidelity Guarantee Fund) Bill. Tlie Hospital and Charitable Institutions Amendment Bill and the Pacific Gable Sale Authorisation Bill were received from the House and put through all their stages aua passed without amendment. The Arms Amendment Bill was also received, read the first time and tbe second time pro forma, and referred to the Statutes Revision Committee. The Hon. V. H. Reed moved that in t-hel administration of the railways special consideration should be given to provide facilities for the development of land, thereby assisting increased production. He defended the construction of the North Auckland line, pointing "feo the great resultant improvement that had been effected in the quality of the land in the district. He felt strongly that the railways were the baekbone of the country. The Hon. F. Mander differed from Mr Reed in respect to the Xorth Auckland railway, remarking that the line, which cost between £70,000 and £80,000 per mile had very little chance of ever paying. It was railways of that kind that made the system as a whole a nonpaying proposition. The Hon. J. B. Gow said the railway was fundamentally a road whirh was necessary for developmental purposos. It was monstrons to indulge in extravagant expenditure 011 railways largely by politieal means and then judge the' Railway Department by tlie dividend result it produced 011 tbe eapital involved. The Hon. G. .7. Garland said the railways would continue.to lose financiallv unle,-,s thev were furtlier "written down. Xearly everv line in the Dominion had heen more or lo»s- a "politieal stunt" at one tin\e or another. He advocated the adoption of the zone system of charges as a means of enahling the railways to compete with the motor. The Hon.- J. Barr said the stage has been reaehed when no furtlier expenditure should he incurred on new lines without very careful consideration. The're was too great eagerness to go on with the railways at the present time when the whole transportatioh system was in a state of flux. The motion was carried. and the council ad.iourned at 4.15 p.m.