The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, MAY 30, 1900. THE NEW RAILWAY POLICY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 100, 30 May 1900, Page 2

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, MAY 30, 1900. THE NEW RAILWAY POLICY.

* The broad, liberal and enlightened ' f policy that, according to the Hon. Mr. , Ward's Riverton spßecb,*published in our yesterday's issue, is to be pursued in tbe administration of our railway system will meet with the hearty approval of all classes and conditions of c colonists, no matter what their political colour may be. The reductions and ; concessions that form the chief feature 1 of the new policy commend themselves E as being, not only of large benefit to the great majority of our population, and to the large interests that more or loss affect even those not directly using our railways, but also as of a character that from tho standpoint of railway » revenue are likely to be productive of greatly increased returns. The various groups of figures cited by Mr. Ward as the basis of his calculiti >es are free ■ from the slightest suggestion of polif tical manipulation, and cancot be chal--1 lenged by the most hostile critic of the administration in general or of (Mr. Ward's policy in particular. The (estimated increase in the earning 'power of our railways that is made possible under the new passenger and go6ds tariff is on the face of it entirely reasonable and has probability of being realised. A bold prediction is contained in Mr, Ward's statement that he felt sure the value of tho Railway and the Post arid Telegraph Departments wojld, before many years, be more than sufficient to pay for the whole of the present national debt of the colony, but the policy that he is now inaugurating is the very bost means of that prediction becoming fulfilled. The key-note of Mr. Ward's policy is found in Lis statement that these departments are unlike privately-owned services : they are not owned just to extract the last pound of flesh out of their users, but great consideration is shown in the direction of giving back to owners of these great properties all direct return in the shape of facilities and conveniences for their use, Tha railway policy of the country is a matter in which all classes of the community are deeply concerned, and the important played by she State railways in our daily lifo CJunot be over-estimated, and consequently ' anything that is done in tho direction of improvement in the service, or of giving greater fac ; lities, is of much interest to everyone—a remark with which all will agree. It is safe to say that the reduction in pieseugei 1 fares and the concessions on workmen's, season, tourist and other tickets will by largely availed of, and the traffic, instead of being light for the greater part of the year and unmanageably heavy during the period lor which excursion fores were current, will for ! tho future b? noticeable for a much higher average thioughout tho year without the undue congestion that the ><:.;.si'nnl cheap fares h:'.s during the pp.s 1 -, l'-i-uHed in. It hf.s always seemed Co us an ouir.-ig!("'U3 anomaly tint the ordinary fares s 1 '/nM ho fo h't'h U;at I'tir (.!,'!(-, had 11 mil with ciniiges ( half niii|>:y on ill! hut a f ■»,' days of tho yi ar, and then on l)v s-i 1 >,;,ter no Msiot s iha '.vh'l) laihiay tys'tui he di;-1-cited by the exfr;i.ii.'iary tiaflin n,-ailing from a temp'rury rrductu-n in fare.- a' h- liday times. Uiidm' tho new 'ii'ingciTunt'-, while there will s'ill on (<p ci.-il excut'ri >n faros on the u~Uril dccarions, the low ordinary faros lill curse the bulk of tho traffic to h > ►■pr ad pv<-nly over tho year, instead f p"--.phi having t'> hold hick for px-•Ui.-ii)',s and suil'-ring lsiany incor.vrie- i <! liruu.'h not. being nblo to «flbrd o ti-.-v I wlr n t.h-y wanted to. Afr.pi dealing with tbe le luc'.ion in fivighi , >n goods, Mr. Ward refeired to a feature of his policy that, will by si" mear,s tiie.'t with general anprrvi!, viv., '■ho conception to ho giant' d in tho ■:. sj of racehorses lvUirning from race .ucej'ngs, which is to tak-j tho fonn tf j-irrying iht> animals back free ft charge, speaking on this point, Mr, W: rd gave is his reason for tho curie; w:ioii that i : J w.is vdth a view to fostering tho br«ed j irg of horses ! Wo gave Mr, Ward I r-:dit for more common sense than to I n'lVo coupled his mnm and loputation j with mch an exploded fallacy as 6hat j rac ng h-TV-.d any mch useful purpose. j.VJr. Ward know?, in com men with •■.very intelligent and hones'; pi peon in itho colony, that ths raceconi's) is re jt.poiisiblu for a class '.f hcveoß of no use Jwiiatwer for Jibe atcl useful .

purposes horses are requii. ■•. '.V ;i;u is more, it fosters the spirit of y . uil>ii,;j. , and is responsible for a number oi I other well-known evils and nuisances. If, as Mr. Ward says, the railway service, as carriers, cannot, of course, take any side so far as the sentimental aspect of hcive racing is concerned, he could have displayed practical commonsense by leaving the rates as hitherto. The platitudes he uttered in this connection constitute the one weak part in his speech, and will be read with anything but complacency by the large majority of people, who, by the way, do not patronise racing. Passing on to other items, what Mr. Ward announced in connection with the keeping of better time on passenger trains, the improvements in second class accommodation, the increase of rolling stock, the superannuation system for railway employees and the improved facilities that will be provided for their obtaining promotion, the introduction of the Westinghouse brake, the new electric staff block system, the issuiDg of tickets on the day before they' are to be used—these all will meet with unanimous approval, and, together with the concessions and reductions already referred to, will cause Mr. Ward to be long remembered as at once the most liberal, practical, and far-seeing Minister of Railways that it has been the good fortune of the colony to see in the place of power. While the colony and the Liberal Party can be served by such men as Mr. Ward, there is every reason to believe that not only will our present prosperity continue, but that our vast undeveloped resources will be turned to the best account; the people will be able to enter into their rich inheritance, enjoy the fruits of their enterpiijo and the reward of their courageous toil,