RAILWAY REPORT.

Patea Mail, 31 July 1880, Page 2

RAILWAY REPORT.

The West Coast Railway is reported on at length by the Railway Commissioners. Two of their recommendations have special importance for this district. One is the new and unexpected idea that the West Coast line is going on too rapidly in parts. Persons living in the district would be at a loss to understand this eccentric idea if they did not know the comical history of the Commissioners’ visit—we may say their flying visit—through this part of the North Island, Most of them seemed to know as much of the topographical features of this coast as they do of the moon’s geography. We say this upon personal knowledge of their remarks. They picked up a few ideas haphazard from persons interested in recommending particular things to their attention ; and it is on this kind of knowledge that they now gravely instruct Parliament upon the Railway plans and works throughout the colony. What a farce it is to make recommendations to Parliament upon evidence which nine-tenths of the people in any locality would contest as inaccurate, as sometimes perversely wrong, and always as being insufficient for the purpose of guiding Parliament aright. Misleading evidence is worse than no evidence at all. Wo trust the whole press of the colony will expose the stupid and dangerous principle on which this Railway Commission has done its work. It is our public duty to denounce what we know to be a mischievous sham, and we have no motive or desire to exceed that duty to the extent of one unkind word. It is the interest of every fair politician to see the public business con-

ducted honestly and on sound principles. This Railway Report is dishonest because it is based on evidence obtained in a grossly improper manner, an assertion wo emphasise upon precise knowledge so far as this district is concerned. The same complaint has been raised in many other districts. The Report is misleading, because its- recommendations are based on interested statements, obtained in many cases in a manner that was an outrage on common decency. That kind of Royal Commission should be put down. The members of the Commission arc to be pitied rather than blamed for what they have done. We do not impute to them a single unworthy motive. We believe they have honestly tried to be fair; but having adopted a vicious mode of getting evidence, and much of that evidence being misleading, we object to any recommendations based upon it for the guidance of Parliament, Hence we distrust this report, as we should distrust any report got up in the same vicious and absurd manner. The recommendation for a Board of Control to manage Railways independently of Parliament is worthy of respectful consideration. The change appears desirable, and the Commissioners are entitled to the colony’s thanks for this part of their work.