MR S. VAILE ON RAILWAY REFORM.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1939, 9 December 1884, Page 2

MR S. VAILE ON RAILWAY REFORM.

to tup: editor. Sir,— l attended Mr Vaile'h lectvire here last night, and was very much pleased to find, that Mr Vaile had given so much thought to the subject, (as was apparent from his lecture,) had there been more time, 1 meant to have said a few words on the subject of railway " mismanagement " in New Zealand. But as the e\ ening was all too short for Mr Vaile to expound his views in, I refiainod, especially as I do not altogether agtee with Mr Vaile'a theory. After listening to Mr Vaile's explanations, I am of opinion that (as nothing can be worse than the present mismanagement of our railways, and our complicated nonclassification of goods,) his system should have a fair trial, It is a novel scheme and contrary to all wy previously conceived notions of railway rates and tariff, but it is evidently a well thought out scheme, and with some modification iit the way of inincreasing the rates for long distances, (which in my opinion are too low) is well worthy of a trial, and if it only comes up to one half of what Mr Vaile expects of it, he will be a benefactor to his country. With regard to goods traffic and classification, I am of opinion that there need only be, say, six classes of goods on our railways, viz. 1. Cattle, horses, sheep, pigs, &c., at per head. 2. Minerals, including lime, coals, stone, bricks, manures, &c, at per ton weight. 3. Timber, merchandise .of kind*-, (except in dangerous or explosive]goods), wool, fl.ix, building materials, and all other heavy goods at per ton weight. 4. All light goods (not being dangerous or explosive) of whatever kind at; per ton of 40 feet measurement, the railway siuthoiities to have the option of either charging by measurement or by dead weight at their pleasure. 5. All agricultural produce at per ton weight, either of dead weight of 40ft per ton measurement, or dead weight at the option of the authorities ; and, (5, all dangerous or explosive goods at special rates according to packages and extent of consignment, .411 these rates, I conceive, should be at per ton per mile with terminal charges added. By these means the very objectionable differential charges would be got rid of, and every person with common sense would know what they had to pay for the conveyance of their goods by 1 ail way. At present "no fellah knows," I am also in favour of the appointment of nonpolitical boards to manage the railways. Let them be either elective or nominative, for a number of years, say five or seven years, and having full control and responsibility, The present curse of our railway management is tha facility with which incompetents are pitchforked into position on each change of Ministry to please political supporters, without any regard to their qualifications for the office allotted to them. The railways have in fact become the hospital for political supporters, and nothing but ft total clearance of the Augean Stable will ever put our railway manage* meat in a healthy state again. Sinca Messrs Conyers and Lawsons services were dispensed with as commissioners there is no one at the head of the department who knows anything about the management of railways, they never having had any experience on any railways outside of New Zealand, and we are paying very dearly for teaching them ,at the expense of the country. — I am, &c, John Gwynneth, C.E. Cambridge, sth -December, 1884.

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