RAILWAY ADMINISTRATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 11 March 1908, Page 14

RAILWAY ADMINISTRATION.

(Fbom Ocb Owk Correspondent-) AUCKLAND, February 29. Mr Samuel Vaile, that persistent critio oE our railway administration, writes th« Herald on the subject of cheap fares a* follows: — "At the present time the following information may be interesting. The largest Sitale-controfled railway system in the world i« that of India. Next conies Russia. The Administration report on the the railways in India for 1906 is before me. Paragraph 11 reads as follows: "Hia financial result of the working of the State and guaranteed railways for the year 1906 was a net gain to the Stajte of 24>752 lakhs of rupees, about £1,648,000, * after meeting ing, in addition to the expenses of working, all charges for interest on capital outlay by the State and on capital raised byCompanies, and also the annuity payments for railway* purchased by the State, including both interest and the portion that represent* redemption of capital. This ia the seventh year in succession in whioh there has 'been a surplus.' This ctrUinly supports Professor Lc Rossignol and myself in the position we have taken up. This report also states that the average rate charged to passengers of all classes is just over one-fifth of a penny. Please rememer that this is not the lowest rate, but the average rate of all the classes. This would take a passenger from here to Wellinbgton for 6s Bd. In spite of these facia we hay« Sir Joseph Ward stating from the platform that whon the Trunk line is open we -shall \>e ah)o to go from here to Wellington for lew money than the same distance cam be travelled in any other tart d th« world.'*