THE RAILWAY COMMISSIONERS, Wellington, September 6.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 401, 11 September 1889, Page 6

THE RAILWAY COMMISSIONERS, Wellington, September 6.

Almost the- whole of yesterday's sitting was taken up with a discussion of the apDointment of the Railway Commissioners. This was raised upon the first item, which was £660,000 for the Railway Estimates. Mr Walker said he felt sure that if the .House had known that the three Civil servants appointed would have been appointed they would never, have passed the Bill giving power to ; the Government to make the 'appointment. ,Ministers had done what they knew the House would never have consented to, and which they had promised the Bouse not to do. He declared that the negotiations carried on for the services of a railway expert' were in reality only a sham, and such was the general opinion throughout the country. The Minister of Public Works, in explanation of the appointment of the Railway Commissioners, said that, as members might see by correspondence already laid on the table, every effort had been made to obtain a suitable expert in England or America. Only one man was available, but he would not come for anything like the salary. As for Mr Raes appointment, he withdrew his application before the Government could make the appointment. Mr Speight, of Victoria, had cautioned the Minister against obtaining a secondrate ■ man Irom the Old Country. Under the circumstances the Government thought the appointment they had made was the be3t under the circumstances. He felt sure that Mr McKerrow would be able to show that his appointment as Chief Commissioner, was justifiable, and in conclusion he only asked the House to give the Commissioners a fair trial. Mr T. Thompson said there was deep dissatisfaction in the country over the appointment of the Railway Commissioners, and for himself hp felt that there had been a direct breach of contract with the House on .the part of the Government. , • The Government should have consulted the House before they made the appointment.. They would have been in no worse position than they are at present, and it wdul'd have given far greater satisfaction. Mr Taylor emphasised the part that the Railway Commissioners were now above Parliament. , Almost every speaker that followed condemned the appointment, re-echoing the sentiments of Messrs Walker and T. Thompson. A few speakers defended the appointment, but their defence was weak. The Auckland members were particularlybitter in their attack on the appointment of Mr Maxwell. Mr Thompson (City) explained that what had been said was not inteuded as a personal attack on Mr Maxwell, but only on \ the Ministry who had appointed him, arid, unfortunately for him, Mr Maxwell's name had to be frequently mentioned. The debate was started about five o'clock, and lasted until a-quarter past twelve* when Mr J. McKenzies motion, which had been moved early in the evening, to reduce the amount by £100 as a mark of disapproval of the appointment of Mr Maxwell, was put and lost by 49 to 10. The vote was then carried. During the debate Mr, Mitchelson was asked by 'Mr Ballance if 'it was true that the Railway Commissioners intended to re- < duce the. rate of wages paid to their employees. The Minister said he had no knowledge of any such proposal.