The Feilding Star TUESDAY, APRIL 10, 1888. The Railway Commissioners

Feilding Star, Volume IX, Issue 107, 10 April 1888, Page 2

The Feilding Star TUESDAY, APRIL 10, 1888. The Railway Commissioners

Those who hoped a perfect galaxy of \ railway talent would respond to the , invitation of the Agent-General of . ihis colony, , in. London, must have ■ been grievously disappointed when \ they learned only about twenty-five 1 persons were candidates, not one of j whom possessed even a tithe of the ' necessary, or alleged, requirements for ' the post. Now that the English or American market cannot supply our ] demands, it strikes us we may just £ as well give the local productions a l , chance, and make a selection from our 1 1 'own ranks. The grand snecess of the ie WeHiugjton-Mnnawafu Railway, Qom- 1

pany is a convincing proof that we have men in the colony capable of doing the work quite as well — if not better — than "the imported article." More skilled labor we may be deficient in, but that can always be purchased, at a price, in the shape of engineers or lamp-cleaners. What we want is a man with natural busineu capacity, courage, and independence, ito act as Chief Commissioner. He , must not be that peculiar product i called "An Official," neither must he ' be a politician of even the best type. ■. That such a man may be found in the | colony we have not the slightest doubt. The great obstacle in the way of making the selection is that the sort of man we describe would be very unlikely to sacrifice his independence to become the servant of the Government, even if he were placed as far above political or outside influences, a» are the judges of the Supreme Court, and still, even that difficulty might be met, and among the many excellent gentlemen whose names have never been heard of beyond their own immediate private circle of friends, there may be found ene who would do honor to the position, and those who selected him to fill it.