The Wairarapa Daily. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 12, 1888. The Coming Railway Board.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 3001, 12 September 1888, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 12, 1888. The Coming Railway Board.

The Government appear to mate haste slowly in appointing the Board which is to have the future management of our railways, Prolonged deliberation, if it led to the constitution of a really capable Board, would be extremely desirable, but we fear that the procrastination which has taken place has indicated feebleness rather than strength, Other Colonies, which have successfully relegated the control of their railways to Boards, have made it an indispensable condition that the Chief Commissioner should be an expert, trained on some Imperial Eailway. New Zealand has, after an abortive effort to import a Chief Commissioner, decided in favor of filling the appointment with a Colonial candidate. Tho Government have abandoned the lesson which tho experience of other colonies has inculculated, and is striking out a new departure in which there lies a great risk for this Colony. It would be unreasonable to expect very brilliant results from the half measures which appear to find favor with the Ministry. It is said now that a Chief Commissioner will he spieled in this Colony, and then-in conjunction witlj this official, the Ministry, will appoint the two colleagues who will complete the Boas js said that there is any .amount of pssuro beiijg brought"to bear on tho Government in malting these appointments. We wight

almost suppose that even Ministers themselves would like to fill them, for a permanent billet (is a Commissioner is a better office tjiau a three years tenureof a Cabinet portfolio. Big appoijitijients like these are, when they are kept opoi} for any considevafele poriqd, demothliziijg tg s'-Miijistry. If the Government are ii) earnest their intention of constituting a really efficient Board, they should come to & depision at an early date and let the Commissioners get to work before the busy season of tho year sets in. Almost svery intelligent man in the community cogjd name three persons capabio of achiniatriiig pur railway system efficiently and economically, pd Sir Harry Atkinsop could pick 'out a score ptliout much difficulty, but thei) Islit,i<w) jipnsiderations intervene and the Premier may have to put ii) pow some politician wliowjll be uulikely to do justice to the Golo)iy. T|>e Ministry havo dangled the appointments in the faces of so many eager applicants that they, cannot well appoint one commissioner without at tho same time malting twenty enemies, The imported Chief Commissioner would have solved many difficulties, and Ministers havo only themselves to blonw-fer 11)6 tangle in which they now find themselves, ■