The Premier at Shannon.

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 250, 27 February 1894, Page 2

The Premier at Shannon.

Speaking on the subject of the Railway Commissioners, the Premier said whatever might be the opinions of tl c Conservative press on this subject, the country, at any rate, was perfectly satisfied with the change which tjbe Government had made in im personnel of the Commissioners. It bad been charged against himself that personal friendship furnished the reason for the appointment of Mr Ronayne. After making the fullest enquiry he had ascertained that Mr Konayne was one of the ablest railway experts in the colony, and had proved this in the different sections over which he had had charge. He was, a strict disciplinarian, and yet at the same time the railway employes had the fullest confidence in him as a thoroughly fair man. As for Mr Scott's appointment, the requirements of the railway workshops and of locomotive construction had rendered a change expedient, and Mr Scott's experience, the uniform ' success which had attended everything he had taken in hand, and his sound commercial knowledge marked bin) out as a tit man for appointment. REDUCTION OF GRAIN FREIGHTS. It was a well-known fact that, in the South Island particularly, ruin almost stared many of the farmers in the face owing to light crops, bad weather for harvesting, the depredations of Email birds, and the low prices obtained for grain. When the present rates for the carriage of grain on the railways were fixed, the crops and the harvesting had been good and much higher prices ruled in the market. In view of the altered conditions for the worse, if the Bailway Commissioners were to decide to allow a discount of 25 per cent, on the charges for the carriage of this season's grain, in his opinion the circumstances of the case would warrant such a decision, and the Treasury would not object. Even though it involved a reduction of the surplus and a reduction of the estimated revenue from the railways it was pre^ ferable to do that, the farmers to bear up as best they could under the losses accruing from the various causes be had indicated. The control, however, and the responsibility of the railways rested in the Commissioners, but if he (Mr Seddon) were a member of the Board he would not hesitate for a moment to do what he had mentioned.