The Manawatu Standard (PUBLIBHBD DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1886. MR BACK'S VALEDICTORY REMARKS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1645, 26 February 1886, Page 2

Manawatu Standard (PUBLIBHBD DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1886. MR BACK'S VALEDICTORY REMARKS.

When Mr Bapk was, addressing a few v of the leading' citizens, of Dunedin a few nights ago, preViojus to his departure for Tasmaniaine expressed a belief that if the railways of New Zealand were properly managed, they would pay as well as any Railways jn the world. "If *.* they are property m&najjed j" this is the qualifica^oji v that My Bac# giyes to his statement!' Well, perhaps under such favorable circumstances we might expect to see our railways develop into, something £jke profitable institutions. But can Mr ©4P£ inform us when such an unusual state of tfaiftg§ is likely to exist ? If not, his parting words, of encouragement are not calculated to relieve the mind of taxpayers to any very considerable extent. Indeed, they rather remind us of the incident m which a man informs a friend who is <?un?b, that if he could only regain hie powers of speech, he has qualities and talents wbish will probably lead to his becoming tinguished orator! If the expenses of working our railways are curtailed until they are actually less than the receipts which those lines produce, then we shall reap profits instead of iossftsfron? them. But, unfortunately, there are yery njany conditions which will have to be fijlfjflef} before such a state of things can be brought about. In the firs.t place, railways must only be constructed where thej-e is sufficient settlement or trade to 'give fair promise of their paying. Sucjh lines as the East and West pom JR^ilway, ,tfie Otago Central, an ( 4 Vne op .two" otjh^rs of the'lcind would'haye to be discarded, and .the management of ethers which warrant their construction, must needs' be

placed far beyond the reach ol political influence. Again, the m terests and the comfort of passen might be considered — a matter which has never receive much attention m the past, and the railways worked generally as if they were commercial institutions competing with the latest inventions of the day. Leaves might be taken out of the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company's book with some profit, both as regards the former and latter of these innovations. Trains could be provided with carl riages, less like freezing chambers m winter, and notso closely resembling ovens m summer. Return tickets might be issued to the-pas-sengers who are willing to pay for a double journey m advance. And, most important of all a higher rate of speed might be attained. 'But it is hot our wish or intention to enumerate all the improvements that might be made on the systems under which our railway are worked by the Government. Such a task would indeed be a . heavy one, and as futile as it would be tedious. From all time a continuous scries of suggestions has been made by the Colony, and even now we cannot describe our railways as being anything approaching perfection. It is kind of Mr Back to leave a few parting Words of encouragement ringing m our ears as he takes his departure, at the same time he must know that it is impossible for railways to pay when such lines as that of :the East and West Coast are mooted for construction. It is for this reason that his prediction strikes usas being just a little sarcastic? As a Government official engaged on the railway department he has been tossed about on what must have seemed to him a sea of hopeless political dissension and logrolling. Now he is about to get rescued from the turmoil and r s t torra ; which his past labors have battlecl with, and he cries out to those who ar? left bebindand tells' theni that within ten years, sunder careful management, the railways of New Zealand would be the best paying j railways m the world. Bint what more or what less could Mr Back say, with his cheque for «#3ooirihis" hand, presented to him by the leading inhabitants of Canterbury ? The pi^h of his remark is contained m the one sentence, "under careful management." Just so.