Address by Hon. Mr Richardson. (BY TELEGRAPH – PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Kaiapoi, April 16.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 200, 23 April 1887, Page 1

Address by Hon. Mr Richardson. (BY TELEGRAPH - PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Kaiapoi, April 16.

Mr Richardson addressed his constituents at Kaiapoi to-night. There was only a moderate attendance. The Mayor, Mr R. Moore, was in the chair, Mr Richardson, who was well received, said : During the recess the Government have devoted their attention to thequebtion of retrenchment, forced upon thorn as it has been, by a generally expressed wish throughout the colony, and by the revenue having so largely fallen off. When the Colonial Treasurer makes his financial statement, it will bo found that very large savings have been made in many directions ; and in the department ovei which I have control it will be found that although there are practically some 200 miles moie railway to be worked, I shall be able to show that such economies have been introduced that, with lowering salaries or pay, the expenditure has been very little increased. When you did me the honour of electing me, I expressed my opinion that the railways in this colony should be placed in the hands of a Board similar to that in Victoria, and when I joined the present Government I spoke very strongly in this diiection ; but on further consideration and close study of the question, I became convinced that a Board similar to that in Victoi in would be very objectionable, and have .-till greater tendency to centralist) everything in Wellington than the system at pnvent in force. In 188.) I prepared a bill, by which it was proposed to create two Boards, one for this island and one for the Auckland district, leaving the lines in the neighbourhood of Welling tun to be managed by the Minister. i There w.is .so much adverse criticism to this Bill that I did not pivss it, and I have i not done so since, as, on carefully watching the operations of the Victoi'ian Board, I feel sure that one on the same lines would not meet the requirements of the colony. I now have a bill prepared which 1 think will probably Ixst meet the wishes of the colonists. It is framed to carry out the principle which obtains in Germany. The railways are almost entiiely owned by the Government, as they are here, and after all sorts of devices have been tried in that country to meet the complaints of the users of the railways and consumers of the country, it has been found that what are there call d conciliation courts provide a sufficient remedy, The bill, as now drawn, provides for three Boards— one for the Auckland district, one for Napier, Wellington, and Taranaki, and one for the South Island. The members are to be elected by the Chambers of Commerce, Mayors of Boroughs, and Chairmen of County Councils. Each Board will meet during the recess — that for the Auckland district in Auckland twice a year, and oftener if required ; that for the central district, Wellington, Wanganui, and Napier, or such other places as may be found desirable, three times a year ; that for the South Island, at least once at Chiistchurch, Dunedin, and lnvercargil). A small sum is to be paid to each member for each sitting of the Board and actual travelling expenses. The Minister for Public Works, or, in his absence, the general manager, oi- such officer on the railway staff as the Minister may decree, will direct each meeting and afford all information possible. The Boards will hear all complaints as to rates, or against the conduct of officers on the railways, and make such recommendations to Ministers as they may think lit. The Minister may act upon any such recommendation as ho thinks best, but every recommendation must be laid on the table of the House at the next session, and if not acted upon, the Minister shall give reasons for not doing so. This Board will not be expensive. It will give everyone a chance to be heard. The presence of the Minister for Public Works or a railway expert will cause a great saving of time, by showing the Board where the points brought forward may have been discussed and settled previously. This is my answer to the foul charges which have emanated from Auckland, and been disseminated by a paper supposed to be largely owned by a gentleman who recently held the office I now occupy, wherein it is stated that the Boards Bill that I am going to bring forward is one simply to find permanent appointments for myself and the present general manager for the railways, I have done my best to fulfil the pledges I gave when taking office, and during two years have made new rates and altered the classification in nearly 300 cases and all of them in the direction of helping local industries and productions. It is complained that our railways are not worked economically, f have prepared a short statement to enable you to judge whether there is any reasonable cause for such a statement; and in considering these figures you must remember that °branch railways and the principal extensions we have made to our railways are pioneer roads for opening up the country and cannot be expected for some year* to yield the same amount of revenue as older lines through more settled districts, and in reality are more in the shape of suckers than feeders to our revenue. You must also bear in mind that the great depression lias seriously affected traffic, and indeed in some parts of the colony the principal itemsof traffic have almost ceased for the time being. The tables I have prepared are as follows : — Rates of wages grade Engine drivers, per day : England, 5s to 7s 6d ; France, 4s to 4s 8d ; Germany, 3s 3d to 5s ; Belgium, 3s 3d to 3s 9d ; Holland, 3s 4d to 4s 2d j Victoria, 10s to 14s ; New Zealand, 10s to 13s. Firemen, per day ; England, 3s to 4s 6d ; France, 3s to 3a 4d ; Germany, 2s 6d to 3s 3d ; Belguim, 2s to 2s sd ; Holland, 2s 2d to 2s 11 d ; Victoria, 7s to 10s ; New Zealand, 6s Od to 9s. Guards : England (passenger), per week, 21s to 40s. Guards (goods) per week : England, 22s to 32s 6d. Guards: France, 20s to 38s 6d ; Germany, 35s to 26s j Belgium, 18s 6d to 345; Holland, 13s to 21s j Victoria, 51s to 66s ; New Zealand, 48s to 60s. Signalmen, per week : England, 18s to 30s ; France, 18s to 32s j Germany, 16s to 23s ; Belgium, 12s to 17s 6d ; Holland, 13s to 21s ; Victoria, 24s to 30s; New Zealand, 42s to 51s. Porters: England (passenger), per week,

15s to 17s 6cL Porters (goods), per week, 18s to 24s ; France, 14s to 17s ; Germany, 1 16s to 20s ; Belgium, 13s to 17s 6d ; Holland, 14s to 17s 6d ; Belgium, 15s to 20s ; Holland, los to 22s ; Victoria, 42s to 48s ; New Zealand, 42s to 51s. Platelayers, per week : England, 15s to 23s ; France, 12s 8d to 20s ; Germany, 12s 8d to 14s 6d ; Belgium, 12s to 17s 6d ; Holland, 12s to 14s ;,. Victoria, 39s ; New Zealand, 39s to 4j. This table shows that in both this and adjoining colonies we are paying fully double the rates of wages that prevail in Europe. New Zealand .Railways, Class E (grain), rates per ton : Canterbury provincial, 1876 : 10 miles, 4Jd ; 50 miles, 11s lid ; 100 miles, 18s 3d ; 150 miles, none carried ; General Government, March, 1878, 4s 7d, 12s lid, 19s 2d,25s 5d ; 9th Feb, 1881, 3s 6d, Us, 15s 4d, 19s 6d ; 2nd April, 1883, 3s 6d, 6s lOd, 15s 2d ; 17th March, 1884, 4s 4d, 10s 2d, 18s 4d, 18s 6d ; Ist May, ISBS, £4 8s 8d ; 1885, 4s, 8s Bd, 12s lOd, 17s ; Bth March, 1886, 3s sd, 8s Sd, 12s lOd, 17s ; or, with loading and unloading added for comparison with other colonies, 4s sd, 9s Bd, 13s lOd, 18s. Victoria, on the same conditions, 10 miles, 5s ; 50 miles, 7s 6d ; 100 miles, 12s 6d ; 150 miles, 17s. New South Wales, same conditions, 4s, 7s, Us 9d, los 6d. South Australia, same conditions, 4a, 10s 4cl, lor, 9d, 19s 9cl. A very important element is the difference in the distance that each ton of grain is carried :—ln: — In Victoria 130 miles, in New South Wales 132 miles,in South Australia 40 miles, in New Zealand 30 miles. Percentage of expenses on receipts :— United Kingdom, 52*77 ; France, (50"4. i; Germany, 54*31 ; Belgium, 59*72; Holland, 54*49; Victoria, 56*26 ; New Zealand for 1885, 6-V9l. The productions which have been made have affected the railway revenue •to the extent of fully £50,000 per annum. It will be pleasing to observe that the receipts are now largely increasing, and there is every promise of much better results for the current year. There is no doubt that a very great amount of misconception exists throughout the colony on the subject of the railway rates now imposed. Owing to the great success of the penny post, and to the experience of the advantages of one uniform rate for all distances, there was a belief in some minds \ that, with certain modifications, the same principle might be applied to rates for good. Ingenious schemes were de\ ised for equalising within certain zones*; or, as proposed by Mr Vaile, rates irrespective of distance and other circumstances. Such themes are now little heaid of. In all recent discussions of rates TrvuoVi was liea-icl of fclie^e wHo weie cliscontentcd, but very little oi those who, being satisfied, were silent. Most errors in political economy, it has been said, come from not taking into account what is not bp »cially true This question of railway rates ot traders, and interests which ai c dissatisfied with the existing arrangements, people .see and hear much, unfortunately ; but they appear to take little heed of other interests equally important, which are contented oi comparatively .so. Such has been the practice in this colony, and till some better mode of fixing rates is adopted in other countries, it would be very unwise to change the system heie ; and if I succeed in carrying th j bill, of which I have this evening given you an outline, I am hopeful that the opportunity given by it for all grievances being openly discussed will result in much of the iiritation which from time to time exist;-., and the misconception regarding the present an*angement being thereby removed. It is tho intention of the Government to press this bill through as spon as possible. A vote of thanks and confidence Avas carried.