The Evening Mail. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1877.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 454, 12 October 1877, Page 2

The Evening Mail. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1877.

Another, instance is about to be afforded of the facility with which public money can be frittered away. We have now within the Colony what are called railway workshops. These were called into existence in order that the railway department, in case of any mishap occurring to their rolling stock which it was necessary should be repaired without delay, should not be entirely at the mercy of private firms, who, through pressure of business, or other causes, might not be in a position to execute railway repairs with the necessary speed. These workshops are now being turned to account for the purposes of manufacturing railway rolling stock, and in Christenurch alone the railway authorities are making 110 trucks, anticipatory of their requirements for a plentiful harvest, of which there is every promise. This, to our mind, is one of the things in which the Government of a new country lias no right to dabble, for several very sound reasons. In the first place, we have had ample evidence of the bungling and loss which invariably attend such experiments by the Government. It is an established fact that the Government cannot enter successfully into competition with private enterprise. The reasons for this will be obvious. Each workshop must have its staff from a manager downwards, which means a heavy expenditure in the shape of wages ; and this expenditure goes on whether there is any work on hand or not. It will He easily seen that any little profit that it might be possible for the Government to make will be swallowed up during seasons of slackness. In the case of private foundries and ironworks it would not be so, because they are not restricted to railway work and would usually have something on hand to keep thiir workmen employed ; if they have not, they reduce their staffs as occasion requires. This enables private firms to successfully compete with the Government. There is another view to take of the question. It is palpably unfair for the Government to deprive our Colonial ironworkers of the only work that would enable them to utilise their extensive plants, which have been ordered expressly for the purpose of undertaking the manufacturing of railway rolling stock. Our Colonial ironworkers

deserve every encouragement for the enterprise with which they have conducted their businesses. There is nothing in the shape of ironwork that cannot now be manufactured in the Colony, although we believe that it is customary to send abroad for truck springs -and other ironwork necessary iu their construction. We contend that oar large foundries and woodwork factories should be accorded every encouragement by the Government. Let the Government call for tenders throughout the Colony for the rolling stock they from time to time may require ; and if, after entering into a careful calculation of what it costs them to turn out the work, it is discovered—as we have no doubt it will be—that it can be done cheaper by private firms, let it be given to private firms. The conduct of the Government in this matter is calculated to crush enterprise which is so essential to the substantial progress of a new country.