THE RAILWAY DEPARTMENT.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2579, 13 July 1882, Page 3

THE RAILWAY DEPARTMENT.

FyROM OTJB COKBESPCWDBHT.] WELLINGTON, July 12. The General Manager of the New Zealand I Hailways, in hia annual report on the work- ! ing of railways, makes the following general ' remarks »—After quoting the comparative traffic returns, he says—" These figures indioate a very rapid growth in the colonial industries. The revision of rates carried on during the last two yeara, no doubt, materially assisting in bringing about those results. Further reductions, however, must receive oareful consideration. The tendency from ou-eide pressure is to go too far. The lowering of ratea, while it may be attended with loss of revenue on work already unremuneratire directly, will not stimulate traffic beyond the demands and powers of the population. It needs only reference to scales of charges in force to observe how largely the standard aoales h-vve been modified to suit local wants. We should be careful in making superficial comparisons between rates and charges in New Zealand and those in other countries. The varying conditions of quantity and distance of lines, coat of labor, fuel, water and machinery, and a hundred other considerations will affect the cost of conveyance. We cannot draw a comparison between rates prevailing on some American railways and our own, because every condition is different, and in no greater respect do they differ than in distances. Goods are carried whioh are counted by tens. The question of speed on the railways is one which gives rise to much comment. With the description of lines and stock existing, a low speed is essential, and is also moat economical. High speeds can be maintained only on lines more expensively built, and even on these only at a higher cost, The New Zealand railways will be muoh improved by effecting renewals with heavier rails, and by making additions to stock of a heavier and more expensive class. But these steps will not overcome the evil of allowing an undue number of stations and private sidings. A mixed train, whioh will traverse nearly twenty miles of line in an hour will, if ten or twelve atoppages be interposed, take tbree-qnartßra of an hour longer, and thia is a condition not unf requent on our railways. Many caiea exist where stations are not more than three quarters of a mile apart. Thia difficulty can be overcome by closing some stations, or by running trains through. The latter course, though simple, is difficult to follow. Aa an example, the express aervioe between Ohriatoburch and Dunedin may be cited. It waa started in 1878 to run in ten hours fifty-five minutes, but by 1880 the publio had succeeded in increasing the time to twelve hours forty minutes. During the past year this service was working in eleven hours thirty minutes, but attempts have been made to increase the time by adding stoppages. There would be little difficulty in running it in ten hours thirty minutes at moderate speed were the fact more keenly recognised that we cannot have both quick services and numerous stoppages. The coat of working the lines has been reduoed aa far as is consistent with safety, but must be expeoted to increase every year. The faot that a greatly increased tonnage and an extended mileage have been worked on an expenditure of £57,000 IeES than was the case three years ago will indicate that etrenuons efforts to economise have been made during the past two years. Should the currant rate of wages increase, and this extensively, it will affect the cost of working. There is a tendency to assert the view that particular sections of railways should be treated with lower rates than others because they exhibit a higher rate of interest on the cost of construction. It ia not readily seen where the rai'ways are common property how this view can consistently be maintained, mors especially as the prosperity of one part ia not independent of the other. The Southern community derives extensive advantages from the importation of oheap timber from the North, supplied by means of the northern railways. The North draws its grain supplies from the South by similar means, The interchange of passengers between different localities givoa a common advantage to all the railways. The West Coast railways supply cheap fuel all round. No section of railway could be removed from the influences of the other without being affected. The Wellington and Wanganui lines are, we may infer, better feeders to the Hurunui- Bluff section than many of the attached branches. There are some internal difficulties in the management owing to the inconvenience of the system on which business is done with other departments. Time is occupied by interdepartmental work which ought to be devoted to matters of larger publio interest. The traffic, audit and ticket work should be within the department, as it ia in other colonies and on all other railways. However efficiently and cheaply the work of audit is now performed as far as it goes, yet its separation from the railway administration is a souroe of weakness to both audit and management. The conduct of the staff has been good throughout the year, and commendation is due for the zeal with which the various local officers have done their duty." Mr Maxwell also says that the Hillside and Addington shops require further additions, and the Addington shops several improvements'. Some further additions to the looomotive itock will be needed early. The type of i English goods engine chiefly in use still proves the moat economical, and this corroborates the conclusion arrived at previously—that the English built stock is preferable to the Amerioan. Out of the 62,000 sleepers renewed, 27,000 were of matai or giro, and they were mostly under six years old. The short life of tho deeper ia one element of muoh cost, and the jarrah sleeper is, in every respect, so superior as to be much ohoaper in the end. The total number of locomotives in use in the colony at the 31st March was 202, including 16 American, 28 Fairliea, 4 Fella, and 154 ordinary. They ere thus distributed :—Hurunuißluff, 120 ; Auckland, 23; Wellington, 16: Wanganui, 15 ; Napier, 7; Tar&naki, 7 5 Nelson, Greymouth, Weitporr, Picton, eaoh 3 ; Wangarei, 1.