The Oamaru Mail. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1880.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1201, 21 February 1880, Page 2

The Oamaru Mail. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1880.

The names of the gentlemen chosen to form the Railway Commission have at length been made public, and we must say that the Ministry have apparently kept one desirable object in view—the. representation of various parts of the C»lony. But we fail to see upon what other grounds they selected the CommissionersT for though all of the gentlemen chosen are no doubt honorable men, with one solitary exception, none of them can put forth any claim to special know-ledge upon railway matters. Mr. E. G. Wright is certainly an engineer of very wide exr perience and of known ability, but there are very strong reasons- why he should not have been included on the Commission. But to these we do not purpose at present referring. There is, however, one mattor in connection with Sir. Wright's acceptance of a seat on the Commission to which we desire to draw attention, and that id ihe fact that lie must of necessity forfeit his scat in the House of Representatives for C'jleridjje. There can be 110 doubt that he has brought himself within the pale of tho Disqualification Act, for though he may be patriotic enough to forgo any remuneration for his -services, he will scarcely refuse to accept tra\elling allowances, ami the mere acceptance of these expenses will constitute an unquestionable otFonce against an Act framed to guard the purity of the ifoifse. This is, "however, a matter for Mr. Wright to consider, and we think he will have some difficulty in showing that he can. without incurring the penalties of the law, act in the capaczty of a Commissioner and retain his seat ia thp House. Another thing thai is very evident in connection with this commission is thai rery great care seems to have been taken by the Ministry to obtain Commissioners of precisely the same way ot thinking as themselves. The result is that while various part 3 of the Colony will bo represented on the Commission, only one line of political thought will be represented. e aro by 110 means satisfied with the choice made, for the very .jrtod reason that the Commissioners chosen with cne exception, know next to 110* thing of railway construction and nothing of railway management, and have nospecial qualifications to lit thsi>i for the position. The fact is that the Commission should have been composed of non-political and thoroughly independent men. Wo admit that the CoLny, from Invercargill to the North Cape, might be searched without finding such a desirable avbitur of interest? political and commercial. 13ut that is no ri}a#.>ii why the Government should haic constituted the Commission astheyha\e d»ne. What is the object which ltd to theappointment of thi? Commission ?—The fullest consideration of eyery matter connected with the construction and management of our railways. When reading the names of the Commissioners appointed b} the Government we are constrained! to inquire why tj:e Government did not themselves undertake th,s t<!sk. Politically the result would iiave been thesiMpe. The appointment of this Commission, like that of other Commissions, by the present Government, is a sham. Tke decisions i>f the latest appointees will necessarily be in accordance with tlus desire 3 of thcGo\einrneut, because the inajoiuy_ of them will teal it necessary to he mindful of past favors end thoughtful of those wiiiiii niitrhfc cuiiil*. The plan adopted by the Government for surmounting a great difficulty and relieving themselves of responsibility and political disfavor will not one whit change tfosir position in the estimation of the country, nor accomplish that which they profes3 to desire to eoe carried : out. The*appointment of an experienced engineer from abroad to consult with some Commissioner i~>f Railwnj'3, liis chief oßieers, and the Minister of Public W oiks, would hava been jnorc eflectunl. But we sec objections cvon in this plan, and aic at bst brought to the conclusion ih.at if the 3linistry are incompetent to den} with great public questions, they should ljiafcp room for others.