The Daily News. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1805. MR. RONAYNE'S MISSION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7920, 8 September 1905, Page 2

The Daily News. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1805. MR. RONAYNE'S MISSION.

It is not often that) we have the pleasure of agreeing with the utterances of Mr Jlassey and therefore it is all the more gratifying to be able to. heartily endorse the views he expressed at the smoke concert tendered by the staff of tho Railway Department to Mr Ronayne, thedener«l Manager, on his return from his official visit to America and (Jrvat llritain. The leader of the Opposition said that Parliament took a very keen, activr, ami intelligent interest in the Railway lVpartment, and in the men who ran that department, for over twenty million pound* was invested in the railways, and that sum was gradually increasing—in time to come they would probably have fifty millions invested. Hi: hoped their General Manager of Railways had come back chock full of ideas which would be of benefit to tha service and the country general Iy. lie thought it would be a good thing to send senior oflicers of departments Home every two or thrm years to get new ideas and see what was going on outside. The small amount of money it would cost would lie well spent. There is a great deal of truth aird common sense in this view of the matter, for the Colony is young and comparatively small, ami unless we keep our heads of departments up-to j dale the public service may sutler. No one qualified to occupy the important position of Ueneral .Manager of Railways could fail to aci(»iirc a considerable fund of useful information oil such a tour as that taken by Mr Ronayne. The chief motive for the visit to America was that of taking part in the great International Railway Congress. consisting of some nix hundred delegates, at which it was decidedly advisablo that New Zealand should be worthily represented. At the same time it was certainly to the interests of the colony that Mr Ronayne should extejid his trip to Kligland and obtain an insight into the latest methods adopted for locomotion. He was also enabled to compare existing conditions in this colony with those in vogue elsewhere, and it is very satisfactoiy to find in some respects this country can hold its own, this being specially the case with regard to the building of engines and cars suitable for the purposes for which they are required. That our rolling l stock compares more than favourably, in Mr Roliayne's opinion, with that of other lines he had seen in travelling round the world may be flattering to Now Zealand or a reflection on other countries. Possibly taking thu medium average this colony may show to advantage, but there are branch lines on our railways .'where the rolling stock is certainly 110 credit to the Department. It was not necessary for Mi- Ronajnc to travel outside the colony to learn 'that the speedy of our trains is considerably below that of cither America or llritain. but lie cf/psiders we 'huve much to teach the Americans us to the planning of station platforms, uhjch are conspicuous by their absence, even at the large stations, a stool being used by 'those who require some aid to reach tile first step pi the carriages. After all, except at the larger stations, we are not much better off than the Americans, for *t our country stations the very restricted j plyttfoiim area necessftu|te.s mounting al! except one* or two carriages -direct, from the ground, without the aid 01* a btool. While admitting that the Americans havn studied lie :\y] ot luxurious trawlting. Mr Itotmx >.r has several to criticise, and doubtless 'when the

age of railway luxuries arrives for this « «>l,iny. tiw drawbacks complained of may be remedied. Speaking of the Canadian Pacilic line, he said the rolling stock, and especially th«- carriage*. Awn; excellent. fact, thf.v couM not he improved on in 'any par! of th* world. The food I was also excellent. but tin- charges' were wry high. t)ne great drawback to railway travelling- in America whs that Hie carriage.'* were very hot. Hie temperature sometimes being kept as high as from 7(uleg to 80d<?g. Tha cars wore very well lighted by means of Pinch gat*, and in *oine cast's by ivmpivhsed

lene. The latter gay- • , -i:;(iccnt light, but there-was son.;' 'cuM now a:i to thu safety of using it. There was no privacy whatever in the sleepers, the ladies' and gentlemen's bun! s being close to each other. Mr Ito; ajWsaw a good deal of tho application of electricity to locomotion. both on the track and in the shn| e of motor 'buses and cars used -is feeders to the railways, hut he was particularly reticent as to his '-pinions on this subject. From this we may draw some hope that th ■ seed sown is likely to be product ive of some fruit. The enormous advantages that would accrue to our isel tted settlers from a motor-sor-I vice in connection with the railways

is apparent to everyone, and there is ire i|Uestion but that the colony pos-t sesses the necessary water power foi i.viKrating all the electricity required. That the tour will he productive •jf henelit to the colony's railway service is only what would be naturally expected, but we must not expect too much 011 this head unless we ere prepared to be disappointed. We can well afford to wait for luxuries until the colony is thoroughly equipped with a satisfactory railway sen ice. At present the great need is railway construction, and the rest will follow in good time.