RAILWAY MANAGEMENT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5201, 22 November 1877, Page 3

RAILWAY MANAGEMENT.

The following is the report of the select committee who inquired into the present system of railway management in this colony. The committee was appointed on the 9th August, at the suggestion of Mr. J. E. Brown, and was to bring up its report “ within one mouth.” The report, however, was not laid on the table of the House until November 6, three months all but three days having been taken up in obtaining exhaustive evidence “ The select committee appointed to inquire into and report on the present system of management of the railways of the ■ colony have carefully inquired into the same, and have taken the evidence of skilled, professional, and experienced persons (vide evidence and appendices), and have agreed to the following report :—That it is expedient that the ■management of the New Zea'and railways open for traffic be under separate management to the railways under construction. That there should be a permanent Commisssoner of ‘Railways, who should have the entire responsibility of the management of the practical working of the railways, subject only to the control of the Minister. That the system of rendering railway accounts should be monthly, instead of weekly, but that weekly accounts be rendered to the public as heretofore. That the audit of the railway accounts should be so arranged that there will be no necessity to bring the original sub-vouehers to Wellington. That this will best be carried out by having at least one officer, attached to the Commissioner of Audit Department, appointed as local auditor for the North Island ; and, until the southern main trunk line is connected, there should be two such officers for the South Island. That these officers should complete the audit, and send monthly to the Commissioner of Audit a statement of the accounts as audited, from which accounts all statistical information can be obtained ; and that these accounts shall be considered as complete, as far as the audit is concerned, unless any special case arises on which the Commissioner of Audit may consider explanation necessary. That, as the House has this session expressed a definite opinion that, as far as possible, railway material should be obtained in the colony by public tender, the committee consider it unnecessary to do more than express its concurrence in that decision. The committee recommend the distribution of the schedules for railway supplies, where practicable, in preference to their being obtained from one contractor. The committee recommend that the Government should take steps, where practicable, to insure the use of New Zealand coals, instead of Newcastle or other foreign coals, upon the Government railways. That with reference to the classification of goods, &c., the committee consider classification necessary, subject to revision from time to time—absolute uniformity of tariff charges being impossible—but a discriminating charge, having regard to distance and other local circumstances, should be made. The committee recommend the block system on all lines where there are long tunnels, and that all stations should be connected by telegraph, with offices open to the public, where practicable. The committee recommend that increased facilities should be given, at reduced rates, for the use of special trams, the railway managers of the different sections to have discretionary power. The committee recommend that the Government should only weigh goods for their own purposes, and that the issue of weigh-notes to the public be discontinued. That it is inexpedient at present to lease the railways of the colony; but, with a view of ascertaining how such a system would work, the committee is of opinion it is desirable to lease the AucklandWaikato line for a term not exceeding five years. The committee consider it expedient that a scale of allowances for tho railway employes, in cases of fatal accidents and accidents resulting in permanent incapacity for work.be adopted independently of railway benefit societies ; the allowance to be arranged according to pay in the service. The committee oon-ider it desirable, where the traffic is heavy and the curves and gradients severe, that puddled steel rails should be used ; the evidence generally being in favor of that course. The committee recommend that, wherever the Government consider it necessary for the effectual working of the traffic to. adopt a system of town delivery, power shall be taken by the Government to put on a delivery rate on all goods, and charge the same to the consignee. The committee consider that it is not the duty of the Government to provide storage for grain, wool, or merchandise; and that such a rate for storage, where forced upon the railway, be adopted as will act as a prohibitory one. Tho committee consider that every facility should be granted for the erection of private stores with sidings to the railway, at the sole expense of the applicants, or upon such other terras as may be agreed upon. The committee consider that sufficient trains should be run on Sundays to meet tbe requirements of tbe public. The evidence submitted to the committee goes to show that Sunday trains are required as much on tho Invercargill and Bluff line as on other port lines in tbe

colony. The committee consider that, however desirable it may be to have a uniform mileage rate for passenger fares, absolute uniformity cannot be adopted, and a discretionary power must be left in the bauds of tbe Minister to alter tho rates in regard to distance, competition, and other local circumstances. The committee are of opinion that it would be conducive to the public convenience if tickets could be obtained at any time outside the railway stations, from persons who may be disposed to keep such tickets for sale, as is now done in tho case of postage or revenue stamps; they therefore recommend that provision he made accordingly. The committee consider that greater facilities should be given at the principal railway stations for sale of tickets, by having thorn procurable at any time during office hours ; and would further strongly recommend that all tickets excepting return and excursion, should be available until used, irrespective of the date of their issue.”