The Railway Commissioners.

Manawatu Herald, 25 January 1894, Page 2

The Railway Commissioners.

The Ohriatchurch . Press says : - The announcement that the Government have dispensed with the service? of Messrs Maxwell and Hannay as Railway Commissioners, and have appointed Messrs Eonayne and J. L. Scott to take the place of these gentlemen, will be received with surprise and indignation throughout the colony. The indignation will be all the stronger when it becomes known that the step has been taken so as to commit the House and the country to the changes, whilst Mm - isters still pretend that they are anxious that the will of Parliament may be expressed before a final arrangement is made. By acting as they have done Ministers have virtually tied the hands of the House, and have deprived the colony of the services of one of its ablest public servants When all the circumstances of the new appointments are considered there is only one conclusion to be arrived at. In dispensing with the services of Messrs Maxwell and Hannay and appointing Messrs Scott and Ronayne, the Government have perpetrated a gross political job. . . . . As we have said, in re-ap-pointing Mr M'Kevrow, who was the Chairman of the o'd Board, Ministers virtually admit that he has done his duty to the colony in the past, and can ba trusted to do it in the future. They also admit by that act, as we have said, that the administration of the Board, as a whole, has been satisfactory, and

that the wild and reckless charges levelled against the Commissioners by Mr Seddon were pure invention, made only for political .purposes. And what where those political plir- ; poses •? By getting rid of the two Commissioners art opportunity was made for tlie exercise o£ pdlitifcil patronage. We have ndthitig to say against the two Commissioners personally. Mr $onayne may be a good traffic manager, Mr Scott may develop into a capable railway administrator, btit at present the public are' in eiifcire igriorane'e of his capacity in that inspect. But, in any case, why were these gentlemen appointed ? Mr Ronayne is said to be a " friend *' df the Vernier. Mr J. L Scott is a strong political partisan of the present Ministry. He took the chair at Mr Seddon's meeting at Tattersall!s, and has ili a variety of ways made him?elf prom : nent as a leading politican here of the ".right colour." And he has been rewarded for his services with a scat on the Railway Board. New, if Mr Seddon had adhered to his contention that the old Board had mismanaged the railways} it might have been some defence to say that new Cointnissidners had to be appointed; and that tHe present iiieii had been selected because they were in the opinion of the Cabinet the most suitable. But Ministers have virtually repudiated Mr Seddon's charges by reappointing Mr M'Kerrow, who is potentially responsible for everything that was done. Having thus whitewashed the old Board, Ministers proceed to dismiss two of its members, f •!• no apparent reason except a determination to perpetrate a political job; They have their friends to reward, and all consideration of public advantage must stand aside in order that this may be done. The action of, the Cabinet over the Railway Commissioners is deplorable, and even discreditable, and cannot fail to bring lasting disgrace upon the colony*