THE WAIMATE ADVERTISER. SATURDAY, MAY 12, 1900.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume II, Issue 144, 12 May 1900, Page 2

THE WAIMATE ADVERTISER. SATURDAY, MAY 12, 1900.

Speaking at a social at Masterton on Thursday* night T the Hon. J. G. Ward said ithat^i^ w 4 as th.c duty of the Qovernmenl'tb, return to the people of fchef colony as much as possible out ef the earaings of the railway. Continuing, he said that as a proof the j Government was sincere iifeyjheir intention to use the Taiiway&|M% the benefit -of the people '$? j*ji whole, concessions woald shortly^ be announced. ' This is as it should be» Large profits should not be the aimiof the Government, but they sheuld be satisfied if the railways earn enough to-pay their way and .provide interest on their initial cost. The present railway fares are decidedly high, and it seems to us a mistake to change high rates on the railways to assist iv swelling a surplus already too large. If the Government can mee.t all their liabilities while charging low fares on.the railways they should do so, and lower the ; present rates at once. Tbe object of a good financier is said to be 'Y. - • the balancing of receipts and ex- ; X3enditure r havingj|a credit balance* It may {"be .good fijianc-, ing on the part or a|private/indi-i, vidual to have 4 large surplus, but a Government, not being run is a moaey- making concern, should take as little as possible from the country. The lowering of the railway rates is ' one way of relieviiig the burdens of the people, but another, and a wider-reaching one 1 would be to reduce the charge . for carrying letters^ Charging twopence to send a, letter from Waimate to Studholme?* Junction seems exorbitant w<heri we* con- 1 sider that ;a letter is carried, from Australia "to for one penny. It lias invariably been the experience of* Gove-riinyeuts who have' s nedu*ceiil their .postage rates .that >the increase in .the. number of Letters earned has mUch more iLan inada up for the loss " occasioned by .tLe lower charges. 3?here is n© reason/ to to suppose that such would not be the case in New Zealand if tbe experiment jwere tiied^audevenf if it were not, £100,000 eon Id ber spared $$®v& the a»n-ual. earplug, and the latter would be plenty large enough; t Oqe perany would /be enough fo^ a letter «li which twopence is \now , charged, and tbe Ppemie** ha& promised a reduction'for some lime. However, «erplns from last year's working is. a one,'* we hopej&at in after years il,,will be recordej^,, >tlfat this year .was a '" recordfoae", for, lightening the burdens of the, people, ' . / ,