RAILWAY MANAGEMENT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 202, 23 July 1884, Page 2

RAILWAY MANAGEMENT.

. • *-~ 9 - -'-^ ■ THE following sujb|eadep f^jn the Post, shows m a yerypjain miiftner the necessity for tJje appoijif r ment of a non-political Kai].way Board, m. regard to which ouv new member, Mr Macahthuii, has expressed himself as decidedly m

favour. Our contemporary remarks :— lt is certainly high time that our railways were removed, from political management, and conducted on ordinary business principles. At present they are not so. conducted, and. an instance has just occurred which proves that they are used for political purposes. According to theregulations, special trains are allowable at specified rates. A few days ago, an application was made, by a person. quite unconnected with politics, for a special train to Masterton on Tuesday. It was ah ordinary business application, and the legal charge for the convenience sought was tendered. Any private firm or non-political Board would of course have at once accepted the money. Not so. the Railway De-" partment here. Although the train, was undoubtedly wanted for the purpose of conveying electors of North and South Wairarapa, it would have been open to electors of all shades of opinion to have proceeded by it and have recorded their, votes. " The powers that, be," however, seem to have entered into a calculation of how this was lilrely ; to affect the result of the elections, and concluding that; their candidate m North Wairarapa could do without the aid of the city voters, who would have undoubtedly gone iip to give him their votes, while the Govemtnent candidate for South Wairararapa would have had an almost unanimous town vote against him, they refused to put on a special train on any terms. When we state that Mr Booth, Mr Buchanan's chief, henchman, is generally known and referred to amongst the employes on the Wairarapa line as •'The General Manager, 1 " it can be ; easily understood to whose influence : this refusal is attributable. We have no doubt that Mr Rolleston and other Government candidates m, the South and .North iw ill obtain such special trains, as they- requireLast election they were granted to all who were willing to pay for them, so far as the resources of the line went. The refusal m the present instance appears a scandalous political act by which the interest of the public, hi having the railways | made profitable, is distinctly sacri- [ need to party purposes. The Wellington electors on the South Wairarapa roll are not, however,, to be baulked m this way, . and other means for their conveyance have; been provided. :