RAILWAY MANAGEMENT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 1017, 9 August 1883, Page 4

RAILWAY MANAGEMENT.

Bfiohanan,' Fergus, Fish, Maoandtew, O’Callaghan. H._, Thompson, Stevens, Turnbuu, "White, and Wright, waited tmon the Premier yesterday looming upon th e'subject of railway management. Mr Wright having , been apppinted spokesman, said that, as the resolutions agreed to by* the Committee had been placed in the hands of the Premier on Monday, the present object of the deputa-. tion was 'to induce him, if : possibje, to give the subject further consideration, in the hope that he would see his way to in"a Bill early next session dealing with the question on the basis indi cated in those resolutions. The Committee recognised that the subject was one of great importance and surrounded by some difficulties, and that it was not desirable that itislpuld he made a party question ; was of colonial importance and for the welfare of the oolbsy, whatever diffi'in.itho way of improved administration should be grappled with at once ; that a strong argument in favor Of the change proposed wasi found in the fact that nearly every, Public Works Minister had at one time or other acknowledged that a Board of Management was necegaary,' the tiro exceptions being —'•‘StFif. Hall and Mr Oliver, who nevertheless wenVSo far as to admit that a Board of Advice was desirable. All these gentlemen- 3 , had /doubtless felt that the political pressure brought to bear upon them ftopa. ticuo .to time was - more than they wuld resist,with, safety to the Ministries of'which they were members, and saw at the same time that concessions forced from them were detrimental to the public- interests. The deputation were of .ppipiou that had railways diuring last law -years Ifeen under thp>*^|rtrei J ciPa—Bdard from dinct political pressure, the colony wonld hnHjLsawed several -hundreds of ;i thousands of pStofPf'expended upon un-

necessary and unprofitable works which, owing to political pressure, had been brought to-bear from time to time. A few-plamorous, persistent individuals qb- • mined concessions at the cost of the mahy. If itwas urged that members with votes in their pockets would still exercise their influence in spite of the Board t ; it would be seen that so long as the recommendations of th»‘Boird and'tbe members coincided, ..fairly bP assumed to be necessary, and where they differed the decision of the Board would be a complete answer to the application. The Committee had in view amongst other matters thp;-desirability of, lessening the friction now existing betweem the public and the Government upon railway imtters, which finds expression in endless kpd hbtices of motion, which %P4p tap' session after session, and occupy 80 large a portion of time in the House in discussing matters frequently of trivial IttipotUfOTJe; ’ "'1 V Board such as that proposed would be a competent authority to deal with all grievances that arise and mUBt kriao-from time to time between the higher railway officials,and men under them, yhq Jlfving heard their appeals would be aole'to protect aggrieved parties, and see that no persecution followed. For want“6f a competent court of appeal the grievances became like a/smouldering fire of discont^^fb drsting intaflame at every general election, and jn top many cases detartoulinfg ‘the result; ' The deputation were also of opinion that railway officials, both high and low, were in favor of the projjopeJT ’dhf'nge-4lhe J, i latter as a security against oppression, partiality, or. harsh the former as a security against suddeh,changes in the political head, of ths Department, . which pulled. tßehof kftdmSte'ly in opposite directions and prevented themTrdm carrying into effect changes conducive to. economy in the adqiQitnSok ••• ; -The Hon Mr Whitaker replied that this subject-had been discussed by Ministers from time to time for the last three or four years ; that his own leanings were Iq. fpqtqr of..a.Beard, to which the'principal objections were that the action of a Board might seriously affect the finances

of the colony if exercised against the adSf Ministry, who were responsible j‘credit : orthe co](ouy and. the taxaf people ; . that, probably this dtfficiffly'lm|ghl'be .obviated by giving the certain matters ptfwM; ana' when they exercised it against tho opinion of the ;Board the subject* shbtM be submitted to Parliament: for their decision ; - that this power of Miniaterf^w)mld|( ,nqji be* often exercised*- and only 1 ‘ah inipb’rtant occasions, such as when the finance, orotherlarge questions were involved, .when Parliament would decide ‘Miniate? and the . Board. Mr Whifaker added that he was expressing hi S' own views only, but he would take caretlfatdUri ng the recess the subject should be fully considered with a view* to legislation. At present there were some differences Of opinion amongst the Ministers that would probably be removed by morp. careful Consideration and. a free discußsiofn’, Ss'they .verepot of a very pro- \; ■TBb foil owing are the resolutions above referred to, and which, after several meetings 1 , vrete! brought up as a recommendation from a .subcommittee, consisting of Mossfo Wright', “ White, Macandrew, Thopospn and Fish, and approved by the Genkfar Committee “ That it is expedient that the management of all Governmeptßailways open for traffic throughout the colony' should be vested in a Board ; that a Board consisting qf.fl.ve persons shall‘he appointed', by the Governor in the name and on behalf of .her Majesty (or;-by such other 1 means as the House may determine) for the management of alVconswncted-railways the property of the Crown in the Colony of New Zealand; that.any ~three members of such Board shall,he. .competent to act in execution of thg^qwjers.yested in them, notwithstanding that may occur-ih the number ,of members ; constituting the Board [''that from and after the day upon whM tne 'Board begins, to act in execution of the powers vested in them, all pokers; rights ahd.'authority now vested, in SttfWXeifbisedr W the Minister pf Public Wbrisk’' bride# ' the Public. Works Act, 188?; or by'virtue of’any other Act of Pari lament shall he transferred to, vested in/ufad'exercised by such Board of RailwayiiManftgement as if th,e members of such Board had been named in the said Act, subject, to such restrictsons' and dinritations as Were from tinjq.to tyiie imposed by the General Asthe members of the Board to bo shall hold, office for five years, andi.unpp, gpod behaviour, and shall be removeable therefrom only upon an address to Governor from both Houses of the presented during the Bamepw?!? 11 that nomember ' Wy,the= l ; Bpard : ; shall he capable of .being. ,a. member of the. '‘Council .., or of- either Hod#,6! th£ General Assembly, or of holding koV office of trust or profit in the other. than .' office av the Board; that the Chairman of the Board shall bepa-da clear annual Balavy of-£' jand each'other member of the)Board £ a salary of £ , out of the conBolidstecP fand; ' that' the Governor-in-OoAidil may, when Parliament is not in Bession, suspend any member or members of ir om. his or their offices, but aooh Suspension shall not continue in force Wood the |nd of the next session of Par4jo A-**. 11 ii ! 'mi m i