Te Aroha AND Ohinemuri News AND UPPER THAMES ADVOCATE. SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 1890.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 458, 29 March 1890, Page 2

Te Aroha AND Ohinemuri News AND UPPER THAMES ADVOCATE.

SAT URDAY, MARCH 29, 1890.

? This sbovq all—tq thine own soil bo bruq, And it n»ust follow as thp night t|ip day Thou pansb not thpp bp falsa to any maq.‘ SlUKusrKAiqJ.

As allowing the importance altaclieJ to ♦lie mining industry in the colonies, and the way in which it is there fostered and encouraged, \ye publish jn another coluptn an extract from a leading Australian mining journal, which gives a scale of charges for the conveyance of crude ores over the railways of New South Wales. It will be seen that in fixing the scale the Railway Commissioners had satisfied tlieipseires the rates were lvmnmrntive, haying been practically tested on the northern line of the colony with satisfactory results. It may be assumod that the encouragemsnt thus given to mining has lie 00 extended to other pursuits, and thut the pastoral pud agricultural interests hqye received equal consideration. The principles of railway nianagoipent in the mother colony, seem to he somewhat different from those which prevail here. Instead of adopting a system of extortionate charges in order to make their lines pay working expense', the Commissioners then prefer to make the most liberal arrangements so that Irnffio may be increased to its fullest capabilities, and in so doing they are not only acting on sound business principles, hut are applying the railwnjc to their true purpose, viz,, that of furthering the progress of sett lenient and aiding in the development of the resources of the colony. In marked contrast to the policy referred to, is the course pursued by the. Railway Commissioners of New Zealand, who seem never to have been able to grasp the fact that our railways should he worked for the sole benefit of those who paid the cost of constructing them, viz., the people, Ope or two instances which have occurred in this district wi'l ill trqte the difference between the two colonies. When the Te Aroba fs. and G, M. Co. commenced smelting operations, application was made for n reduction of the ordinary charges for the conveyance of fluxing rnfßcrials, a concession was made whereby limestone might be brought from Te Kuili to Te Aroba (a distance of 72 miles), in lots of not less than 300 tans at. lls Oil per ton. This reckoned at per truck oftix tons per mile means 11 J; or nearly three times the rate charged on the on the lines of New South Wales ; and it should he noted, that this was a concession to a Company which had special claims to consideration. Again the Champion G. and S. 3d. Company were prixileged to send a quantity of ore from Te Aroba to Auckland at 10s per ton, 3'liis \Y«s a special favour and yet, even at that veduced rate, the cost to the Company was twice as great as it would have been for the same distance in New South Wales. It is very evident there is much yet to he learned by those to whom the control of our railway system has been committed, and meanwhile it might he well for them to consider whetliei it would not he better for the cogntry if they were to abandon the grab all policy they have hitherto followed,and adqpt the liberal system which has been productive of such excellent results in the sister colony.