RAILWAY MANAGEMENT.

Waikato Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1718, 10 July 1883, Page 2

RA IL WA Y MAN A G EM EN T.

Pursuant to an advertisement in this paper, a public meeting was held at the Borough Council Chambers, Hamilton, yesterday afternoon, to consider what action should be taken to strengthen the hands of the member for Waikato in his effoits toward railway reform. There was only a small attendance, and on the motion of Mr S. T. Seddon, his Worship the Mayor was voted to the chair. The Mayor, in opening the proceedings, said they were aware that Mr Whyte had taken up the question of the railway management, and invited their co-operation. Referring to the revised tariff for agricultural produce and manures, as published in The Waikato Times, he said the minimum quantity to be carried was two tons. He understood from the manager that the two tons could not be made up of four half tons of different sorts of goods. He looked upon this as wrong. Mr Barugh said the manager had informed him that two or more settlers could get up two tons between them, so long as there was only one consignee. Mr Geo. Edgecmnbe asked whether the meeting was called to discuss the question of railway management as a whole, or only that of the management of the Auckland railways. So far us he could ascertain, Mr Macdonald, the district manager, was only acting under orders. The tariff could only be altered by the Minister. Mr Barugh snid be gathered from all he had seen and hrfard that the railways were practically managed from Wellington. The Mayor, in reply to Mr Edgecnmbe, said Mr Whyte's advertisement referred to the management of the Auckland railw ays, Mr Barugh said the carriage of cattle and sheep would soon become an important question for them to consider, more especially in view of the success of the freezing industry. In England sheep were to his knowledge carried 60 miles for a shilling a head, but then they fetched £4 10s each in many cases ; it would not pay so well where they only got 10s a piece for them. The Mayor said there was something wrong in the tariff when a settler had to pay more for bringing two horses from Auckland to Waikato than it cost to send a truck load of cattle from Waikato to Auckland. Mr W. Jones said they ought not to forget that the money for the construction of the railways had been borrowed, and had to be paid back again. Mr Edgecumbe said it seemed to him that what the meeting was concerned about was the management of the railway. The conditions under which the local railways Were worked were not the same as in other parts of the colony, -md that which required amendment here was perhaps admirably adapted to serve the purpose intended elsewhere. It seemed to him that what was wanting was that the manager of the Auckland railways should have more discretionary power in his hands. He moved, "That in the opinion of this meeting it is desirable that the District Manager of the railways should have a larger measure of discretionary pow er than he at present possesses." He thought the manager should, when occasion arose, be in a position to act independently of the head office. Some time ago Mr Barugh had a grievance in reference to over-charges, and no one knew better than that gentleman did that had the affair been left in the hands of the manager the matter in dispute would have been satisfactorily settled. It was desirable in the interests not only of the public but of the railway that the local manager should have increased powers. Mr Barugh, in seconding the motion, fully agreed with all that had fallen from Mr Edgecumbe. He said the railway management presented a striking example of the evils of centralisation. The motion was put and carried. Mr Seddon, speaking of the new tariff, thought the two ton minimum fell rather heavily on the small settlers, who were in the majority in Waikato. He moved, "That Mr Whyte be requested to represent to the Government the desirableness of lowering the mini mum to one ton. If they adopted the Mayor's plan they would, he thought, be asking for too much, and would probably get nothing. The motion was seconded by Mr Jones and carried. Some conversation then ensued on the subject of the delivery of goods. The Mayor said the present method of sending the freightacoountou ascrapof newspaper was most unsatisfactory, and might lead to all sorts of abuses. He could not see why the Department should not send out proper bills. Mr Seddon said it was simply a matter of pouuds shillings and pence. From what he had heard, the stationmaster sent out the accounts merely to meet the convenience of consignees. If bills were to be furnished, extra clerical assistance would have to be provided at the different stations, and this, considering that the railways did not pay interest on the cost of construction, was too much to expect. Keference was also made by Messrs Barugh, Seddon and others to the necessity for a second train, but the meeting came to the conclusion that as soon as they could be run profitably they would no doubt get two trains a day. On the motion of Mr Edgecumbe, it was agreed to forward 'the resolutions passed to Mr J. B. Whyte, M.H.R., and a vote of thanks having been , accorded the Mayor for presiding, the meeting closed. , » , ,

Mr J. Bonfrey, Waipa, inserts a fencing notice. ( „,,- ,t } t , , ' , Messrs S. Cochrane and Son Will.sellat their fn'art, Fort-street, Auckland, ion Monday next, , allotments in the Parish ,oi Pukcte, containing'2l4 "acres', with substantial dweliinVhouse aHd other bujJdings.-'etc.^ri-'."' i'i*-u! -!■>'} r - „ TiiEkE is nob/ the slightest doubfc that .patience wins the, most lasting successes, \fie alone " csfn / h&p& ifoßgkhfc,