RAILWAY MATTERS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8100, 21 March 1906, Page 5

RAILWAY MATTERS.

DEPUTATION TO THE ACTING MINISTER. WELLINGTON, Maroh 20. .Last month a conference, held at Palmerston North, was attended by delegates from Hawke's Hay, Wairarapa, and Wanganui to oonsider certain aspeota of railway administration. At this oonferenoe resolutions ware passed with reference to the improvements required in the Napier-Palmerston North service, ,the Wairarapa service, the Manawatu line, and other things. A de* putation was appointed to'wait on the Acting-Minister for Railways. To-day the deputation was in Wellington, and plaoed these matters before the Acting-Minister, the Hon. Colonel Pitt. The Minister, in reply, said it had to be borne in mind that the railway system had to be conducted on business principles. Already concessions amounting to over £1.000,000 bad been made, and the railway rates were now cheaper than m any other colony, and cheaper than in England> The deputation had presented matters in a light which previously had not occurred to him. He did not propose to give definite answers at that moment, as he would like to look carefully over the resolutions of the conference. With reference to placing a dining oar on the Napier-Woodville section, he thought the deputation had forgotten that there were refreshment rooms along the line, and, besides, it would mean another engine. In regard to railway employees involved in departmental enquiries being represented at an enquiry by one of their own societies be was recently waited on by a deputation from the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants and that jwas one of the matters submitted. At all these enquiries the evidence of witnesses v?as taken dowa in writing, and the person accused had a right to cross-examine and to call any witness. Then tnere was the right of appeal. He would confer with the General Manager of Railways, and send a reply in writing to the matters plaoed before him.