Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, DEC. 19, 1896. Our Railways.

Manawatu Herald, 19 December 1896, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, DEC. 19, 1896. Our Railways.

The admission that the Government could better administer our railways than the Commissioners was made not so much from their financial or business ability but from the fact that they need not feel themselves bo tied as to concessions as tho Commissioners undoubtedly were. We have expressed our opinion that the Commissioners were the best if the railways were to be looked upon as solely revenue making concerns. As it ha 3 been ordered otherwise we cannot understand why we are not allowed to profit; by the advantage of railway communication. Our Borough Council has frequently pointed out to the local railway authorities the absence of decent gravel in thi3 district for our road formation and have asked for concessions in freight and charges for such material when used wholly for publio purposes. We have been repeatedly told that the railway has but a short supply for their own use and therefore have none for sale. To our knowledge the land adjoining tho railway gravel pit at Palmerston is of the like charaoter to the pit and therefore the pit could be enlarged at a reasonable outlay, but the authorities though professing to desire to encourage traffic make no attempt to supply the want. Gravel for road formation is needed from Palmerston to Foxton as well as at Foxton, and inland from Carnarvon ■orthwaris. The Manawatu County Council has a loan to expend in metalling, part of whioh is alongside the railway line, but owing to the mistaken charges quoted by the railway managers, the gravel will probably be taken from distant pits by drays to the road. This is not a satisfactory state of affairs and certainly does not in practice justify the alteration made in the management. A slip in the Gorge line disclosed some particularly fine metal suitable for footpaths, but even this waste material was subjected to prices and quantities which made it impossible to use here. If this material is in the Gorge there must be plenty more of it, and a little display of energy to meet the wants of this district should surely secure na the possession of some of it. We do not want the railway to be a loser by any transaction but what we olaim we have a right to expect, is that gravel shall be delivered to public bodies for public purposes at cost price, which aa the engines employed between Palmerston and Foxton are powerful enough to bring much larger loads than they do, and frequently bring down strings of empty trucks for coal, they could do easily.