When Mr, S. I. Hsiung told me last autumn that he meant to run "Lady Programme of Public Works Continued: Position of Dominions National Railways rom Oun Own Costsrostenr Montreal, Feb. 32.
Although Parlis: nent has now been fin session for several weeks, there has not been great deal of progress made in dealing with the business that is on the agenda. The complete realignment of the parties, and the resulting influx of new members. Seems to have made It dificult for getting under' way. And the example set by the leaders has been most un fortunate; there has been a deal of bickering over small points, and bulging in personalities, that Is of a type to make the general public completely disgusted with the Government, "Cartain estimates for expenditures; of public works were tabled, and it evident that the policy of attempt. ing to speed up the progress of industry by the construction of new public buildings will be continued Unquestionably there has been a large! amount of work made available through the programme of works that has "now been going on for several years, But to wh. " extent this has stimulated private building itis hard to say. "Your correspondent {is Inclined to feel that the benefit has facerued largely to those who are Jdirectly or indirectly connected with the supply, of materials of construce tion.
There has not as yet been any is cussion of the needs of the Canadian National Railways for the current year, but it is most unfortunate that quite misleading figures regarding the feondition of the Government lines fare being given out by no less an Jauthority' than the head of the Economic Department of the CUR. /Mr. Fairweather. presented to a club {In the city of Moncton the other day 1 bright picture, which was obviously' [designed to disseminate the idea that the Canadian National is a fine pro: perty, and something to be proud of That this is not borne out by the actual facts is the more unfortunate when one considers that Moncton essentially a railway centre, and a place where the people should know the clear truth about, the enterprise in which their interests are bound up.
An Unfair Statement 'Mr, Fairweather stated that in 10928, when operating conditions were n their peak, the system had earned a return "of $45,000,000 on invested capital, and said that if trame con tions' were as buoyant to-day os they were then the resum would be $60,000,000. This. was a most Gangerous statement. The railway's own financial report for 1928 shows that, despite this earning of $45,000, }000 on invested capital, there was Jnet income deflect of $27,500,000 which until in 1992 they reached the ghastly figure of—$101,000,000, since which ume there have been some improve. ments, Thre has been built up since 1028 total addition to the railway. deficit of about $000,000,000, or an annual interest charge addition of at Toast $24,000,000, Mr, Fairweather also asserted that there had been, since 1028, a rear Increase in efficiency in the Canadian National Railways. In this connec: tion it) must be said that on the Precious Stream" until Christmas, 1 wondered inwardly whether he could, Tt is ati. "going strong" and, bar accident, will reach Its 500th performance on March 26, the longest run of modern plays except "The Wind and The Rain."
Twice "Lady Precious Stream" has been interrupted. The Christmas Jatlor its production it had to give way to some older contract for a holiday play. Last Summer it was {taken eft while the Little Theatre was Jdone up. This last Christmas it lost ts matinees, the days for which were taken by "Alice in Wonderland." Nothing seems to affect It. Chinese Jin London joke about it now. No \Chinese, they say, would go to see It jexeept for curiosity as to what English neters and actresses may Jmake of It. But the public go enthusiastically. T know a lady who thas seen it five times. foffeial records, on the.mileage basis, the operating results of the publicly owned system are in practically all departments lower than those of the Canadian Pacific. And since the two systems operate under absolutely identiea! "conditions, that fact significant.
It is a most dangerous matter the present time to have an importa official of the Government railway system making speeches in which he suggests, or oven states, that if tame Conditions could return to those of 1928, the dimeulties of the CUN. would be over. It has the effect of acting as a bromide to the public a time when there was never more need of a real outery of opinion against the continuation of duplication and needless subsidizing. Tt is to be hoped that the altitude of the leaders of. the Government will be more realist and genuine than that of their economist.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.