RAILWAY PASSENGER TRAFFIC.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2128, 17 January 1880, Page 3

RAILWAY PASSENGER TRAFFIC.

[Dunedin Star Jan. 15.]

It may he recollected that .during the session pf 1877 a select committee was appointed to enquire into tlic system 1 of' railway management. The report ;of this Committed, based bn very iypljim.in,ous; evidence, was very > practical and to,the point* but appears in many essential matters to have been entirely disregarded by the late government Among the 1 distinct recommendations yras one fp the effect .that a uniform, , mileage rat?! lor passengers, however, for certain purposes,: should 5 hot'be 'maintained, . and the Committee ’ further 'expressed their opinion : that the Minister should, at his discretion, alter and adjust the rates “ in regarddo distance, competition and other local circumstances.” This suggestion has, fo. spine small extent, been adopted 1 kb far as regards goods traffic, but tlie experiment : of differential rates bf passenger fares has never to our knowledge been tried, nor, indeed! has any effort; been made to make the popular with passengers. .Mr the Commisipner for the Middle Island lines, lias altogether very much of theiPassnibre'spirit about him, gild takes a : narrow', and what we. may term departmental view of fchb 'Question.' In his eyes the means ’ overshadow‘ the ends, and he would seem to regard neatness and precision in • accounts and tallies a s much more important than pushing the traffic.- We are of opinion that a differential 1 x’atc. ofi passenger fares in proportion to distance, and occasionally to local, .circumstances, would result in an increase in the revenue \ from this ; Sourc& Ebr long distances the present.-scale of fares is simply travel except on business and the trains ffeqdefftly; run' for many miles •half emyty. ’..Let.tbe 'passenger.rates then be‘, , - and V the .goods be' so grvahjged,in accordance with local circumstances, jas to afford really cheap carriage, especially to the agri-

I ’ .•£% St i S*l , cultural-population, and-defy-■■■competi-tion withicfoastal traffic. main Ipointf'tWhiffli tliW GbfVe'riinientr should’ ? kcep in view is to adapt the working of the lines, so far as is possible, to the requirements and convenience of the people, more especially in the direction of j fostering and encouraging the passenger traffic, which most certainly admits of very considerable expansion.