The Globe. SATURDAY, JULY 8, 1876.

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 641, 8 July 1876, Page 2

The Globe. SATURDAY, JULY 8, 1876.

The su.bject of the management of the Canterbury railways came before the House of Kepresentatives a few days ago, which led to a debate in the course of which the matter was fully and freely discusaed. The question arose on a motion, by Mr. Wason, for all correspondence between the General and Provincial Governments as to the break of gauge, and also as to general arrangements for the future conduct of the Eailway Department. The member for Geraldine, Mr. "Wakefield, strongly condemned the; management by the Provincial Government of the railway, and in; this he was supported by Mr. Stafford. Now we do not for one moment contend that, in everv particular, the management of this department; of the public service has been: perfection—far from it —but still there are many things to bo considered >nd weighed* before arriving at a sweeping condemnation, such as was expressed by some of, the .Ga njberbury members in speaking on the question. The fact of it is that the public are apt to be somewhat too exacting in their demands upon the railway

authorities, and to expect upon lines which are scarcely finished and in working order, all the conveniences—nay more, even luxuries in travelling —which are to be found on the olderestablished lines of the home country. So far as the financial aspect of the question is concerned, the figures published by us a short time back showed conclusively that a very largely increased revenue—as compared with former years—is being received, with a reduction in the cost of working of some 20 per cent. To this extent, at least, the Grovernment are entitled to credit; and the satisfactory result, in a revenue point of view, should go some way towards condoning faults of management which undoubtedly do exist. Again, as justly pointed out by Mr Brown, some of the lines have been handed over to the Provincial Government, to carry on the traffic, with but scant accommodation for doing so, and time is absolutely essential for them to get lines such as these into working order. As a matter of course, complaints under a state of things like this are rife, and necessarily, from the peculiarities of the system under which the railways are managed, much discontent, in many instances well founded, has arisen. That this is so, appears to us, is not so much the fault of those who have had the management and control of our railways—though perhaps some portion of the blame may rest upon them—as the system which allows of the introduction of the political element into the working of the department. Both Mr Stevens and Mr. Brown hit the blot when they attributed the faults in the railway management to this cause. If a department so intimately connected with the trade of the province, so directly, as we may put it, brought into contact with the people, is to be managed by persons who, possessing no special qualifications but simply for political, reasons, are placed in that position, what can be expected but that mistakes and blunders will be committed. Besides this, the changes which constantly occur in Provincial Executives effectually prevent any continuous line of policy as regards! management being pursued. To-day Mr. A. is in charge of the Kailway Department, and he has certain ideas with regard to railway management which he carries into effect; to-mor-row, by a change of Executive, Mr. B. comes in, with views diametrically opposed to those of his predecessor. How, in the face of this, is it possible that complaints cau be avoided, or that there can be anything like management carried out. The province may have, as traffic manager, a gentleman of the highest possible efficiency and suitability for the post, but if he is, as is the case under the present system, to be subject to'the control of a political head whose knowledge on the subject may be of the scantiest, this efficiency is rendered to a great extent nugatory. It is true that he may be, consulted, but if the views of ;the Secretary for Public Works for the : time being do not .coincide withhis, he has to give way. Mr, Montgomery would have us believe that the reason of the complaints being made was that;: by the Abolition Bill the Provincial Council was prevented from meeting. ISTo doubt there are many Provincialise who would use this as a strong argument in favour of their particular views ; but let us look into it a little, .and ftp fallacy will at once appear. The records of the province will prove that during the time tjje Council was in session, when the watchful eye of the representatives of the people, which Mr. Montgomery lays so much stress on, was upon the actions of the Government, complaints as to the mismanagement of the railways were fyjc more rife than they are now. Night after nig&fc, during the session, the subject was bi'osghp up by members on all sides of the Ifouae. It may be urged, by ultra Provincia'iists, that there is no means now of making complaints known, but, if the Council! has ceased to exist, there still remain the public journals, and no one is more ready to avail himself of this channel to lay his grievances before the public than the Briton. As we have said before, Mr. Stevens and Mr. j Broyn touched the root of the whole | matter when they blamed the present system for' a grea£ many of the faults apparent in our railway and we hope, when the General Government take over the railways,. they will make such provision for the; future working of the department .',as; wili obviate the evils here pointed,q.iit.i If they do this, Abolition, even if it confers no furthep benefit upon the province, will bo one of .i%i gpeatesfr boons we have yet had.'