RAILWAY MISMANAGEMENT. Dunedin, August 23.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 218, 3 September 1887, Page 7

RAILWAY MISMANAGEMENT. Dunedin, August 23.

Railway administration unexpectedly came on the carpet ai the inauguration of SmelKe Bros.' Steel Works, Green Island Everything was going merrily as a marriage bell, and Sir JuliusVogel's dig into someof his opponentshad been good humouredlyrecei?ed, He fcaul ; •« A reflegfe paJiapaof a comical kind camQ Into my mind as I sat here, but when one is sitting in a chair unable to get about, comical ideas are apt to come to one's mind. I could not help thinking aa those long iion rails weie dragged from the rolls befoie me that we hear a good deal now of peisons sitting upon rails, and it seemed to me that it might be beneficial if these figurative rails were as hot as those real ones, so that persons might havo the courage to declare on which side they range themselves." Mr A. J. Burns set the ball rolling by declaring the Kail way Department was doing all it knew to crueh struggling industiies. This industry deserved encouragement at the hands of the GovernmentHe was sure there would scarcely be a dissentient voiceif the Government reduced the cost of railway carriage on scrap iron to almost nothing — to what would barely cover working expenses. At the present time they were sending stuff to Dunedin from the works by road at a cheaper rate than they could do by rail, and he would say most solemnly that whoever had initiated the existing system of railway rates had done a great wrong to the country. The material for the mill, he thought, should be carried at the lowest possible rates that would cover working expenses. (Ap plau&e. ) Thi& at onco brought Sir Robert Stout to his feet. He said : "The Government have been pressed continuously by industries oil round to give them assistance. Of course you will understand that reducing railway rates is simply n foim of giving assistance. Assistance has been given to the agiicultmal industry to a large extent in that way, and costs about £7J,000 a year. That 1 educes? the returns of the railways, and we have to make it up in some other way, so it really amounts to giving assistance to the industry. As to what lias been stated, it seems very peculiar that railways cannot compete with carts. The matter will require consideration. It will be submitted to the Minister of Public Works, who is exceedingly desirous to aSbibt e\ery local indubtiy in our midst." Mr Smellie, senr. , said that there was a difference of Is (id per ton between sending iron to Dunedin by rail or by dray. The charge by rail was 4s, and delivery from the station cost another Is 2d, making os 2d, and it could be sent in by di ay from the works and delivered in Dunedin for 3s 6d. For every 20 tons of iron manufactuied at least 22 tons of scraps and 20 tons of coal had been taken to the woi ks, and then the 20 tons of hon taken away again. All he wanted was that the material should be canied at a reasonable rate, so that they might be able to make both ends meet. Mr John Smellie, manager of the works, said that every 100 tons of scrap iron that went out of the colony be looked upon as fully -Cl,ooo leaving the country, and the Chinamen who sent it got little or nothing for it, and what they did get, in a short time they took away with them. He was not a Protectionist, but he thought theie should be a prohibitive duty put on the exportation of scrap iron. They were quite willing to stand or fall on the quality of the iron they produced. It was as good as the imported when they got it, and they made it still better because the more iron was woiked, it properly worked, the better it must become. Mr McDonald, of cement works, followed up the theme, and complained bitteily of the difficulties he had to contend with in railway rates. Sir Julius Vogel replied in these terms : " It comes to be a question of a nominal rate. I ask you if the Government were to propose an extra late upon something, and say it was to enable us to carry Mr Smellie's scrap iron for nothing, would you acquiesce ? I hardly think you would. My friend, Mr Barron, declares that all Mr Smellie wanted was a fair field and no favour. Now, if 1 understand Mr Smellie rightly, he does want some favour (dissent) and, what is more, I think he is entitled to it, and 1 think that those who do for manufactuies what farmers do for agriculture in making two blades of grass grow where only one grew before, are entitled to consideration, and I, for one, go all the way with Mr McDonald, Mr Smellie, and Mr Burns in saying that it is the duty of the Government to give concessions to manufacturers as far as they ean — to reduce the rates to the greatest extent that will not leave a loss that we can afford — to cany them at rates which will give a minimum profit. I also agree with what, has been stated by Mr Smellie that you should take into consideration not only the question of the profit made by taking over the manufactured article, but the fact that in order to manufacture the article so much coal and other things must be carried by the railways. 1 admio that that is a fair consideration. I believe that nothing would be of more good to this country than low rates on the railways, but I must say on this subject that you should recol leeb that as carrying goods for long distances or for short distances, there is the same charge for loading and for unloading* and, therefore, it makes the expense ct v carriage for a short distance appear rela tively greater than for a greater distance. You must also recollect that it costs money to move goods by rail so much for every mile, and the Government have to take that into consideration. Igo further, and say that when the Government proposes taxation for the purpose of adjusting the finances, if I were one of those who believe as I do thoroughly, in the importance of encouraging local manufactures, and should say, supposing there is a high tariff of Customs duties and supposing the time arrives when iti should be reduced, I should say sooner than the Customs tariff should be reduced it would be far better for the encouragement of local industry to reduce the rates of the railway tariff. I say that reducing the railway tariff was the very best way of en,, couraging local manufacture."

The deciding contest for the Gracco Roman championship of the world between Connor and Cannon took place in the Alexandra Theatre, Melbourne, on August 151b, which was crowded. The betting was slightly in favour of Cannon. Cannon won the fir&b fall very quickly, and Connor the second md third in eight and six nrinutos respectively, thus winning the match. Th/e actual time occupied in wrestling the three rounds was 15min. 21 sec. Thero was a largo muster of police, but their services were not required. A. C. Ausfcer, our Five Mile Bicycle Champion, competed in the Mile Championship of New South Wales on bhcGth against C. Wo ,d, \V. Elliott, and T. P. Jenkins. He is described, as riding well, but being, out of condition, Wood won in 3mins. llsecs,, Auster being completely beaten off. . L _ tttmausxszz