BACK STAIRS INFLUENCE. TO THE EDITOR.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1897, 2 September 1884, Page 2

BACK STAIRS INFLUENCE. TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, — If any evidence were wanting as to^ the necessity of a change in the administration of our railways, such evidence has been amply afforded within the last few weeks in Waikato. - On one hand do we see an official who has made railway management his especial study, after full enquiry and a perfect knowledge of the shortcomings of the present time-table, honestly eudeavouring by running faster trains, giving travellers an opportunity of doing their business and returning from town within two days iustead of three, enabling correspondents to secure answers to their letters 22 hours earlier, and in fact facilitating travelling and business and tending to the advancement of the district generally. On the other hand we see a few noisy and interested individuala shortsightedly trying by a system of backstairs influence, exerted through some M.H.R, in Wellington, endeavouring and apparently succeeding in neutralising the efforts of a man, who of all others is expected, and actually does know more about the "ad vantages promised under the new system than those who blindly follow the lead of bar-parlour politicans and others who know how by packed meetings and urgent wires to work on the fears of the member who has the misfortune to count these gentry among his "supporters." A system of railway government under which such a state of things exists is rotten, and can never be made popular, or to pay. It is not only in oar railway matajement d° these abuses obtain, but in every branch of the puLltc service : outsiders working through some gullible and anxious member, can and often do upset calculations arrived at with much labour by paid officials, professional men ; whose business it is to be accurate, and who if not so are able and expect to take the consequences In a long experience in this much governed country. I have known hundreds of schemes in all departments of the Government service rendered abortive by back stair influence exerted in the way I have indicated.' And until members «f the public servica are placed in a more satisfactory position and, beyond this influence, this country "will always remain as it is now, the l paradise of poli- , tical' log-rollers.— l am, &c. ' ! ' - r. , S. f Wilson 'August 30th, 1884^ !

The Postalrdepartmeht jinYite tenders for the CQnvcyancc of'i^ai^ for tbc yean 188*61,