RAILWAY REFORM. Mr Samuel Vaile at Cambridge.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2148, 15 April 1886, Page 3

RAILWAY REFORM. Mr Samuel Vaile at Cambridge.

Mil Vailk as announced, lectured at the Public Hall, Cambridge, on Tuesday evening, before a reprevntativo audience. Mr John Houglit.m took the chair and, having read the notico convening the meeting, introduced Mr V.ulo. There was a diagram on one side of the stage, showing Mr VailcV uUge rty->tpm, and on tho other a map of Now Zealand, showing existing and proposed lines. Mr Vailo suid ho was very glad to h-i\r> a second opportunity of addre.ss.ing a C.nnbrtdgo audience on this unpottant hubject, ako to be able to hay that the enthusiasm on tho question of railway li'form was e\ery day growing stronger, not only as shown by the Southern papers, but all over the world, insomuch that his schemo though ridiculed wlieh fir-^t placed befoie the public, was a subject of deep discussion at the present time in the Old Country. He could not impress upon his audience too much the importance of cheap transit, as the means of not only opening the country, but at the same time making country districts prosperous, by preventing the present overcrowding of the masses m big centres; enabling small settlers to make ft profit of a dairy faim, or an orchard, or land some distance from such centres, by being able to get their produce to town at a reasonable rate, such freight being put against their smaller rental, putting them on an equality with those living in close proximity to the markets as at present. He asked what made the present value of property in Quoonstreet so great, but transits! Spread that cheap transit over the existing country through which the lines run, and you pro■portionately add to the value of such coun- 1 try. Sir Georg* Grey's scheme for small j settlements sounded very well, but what was the use of placing n man on land when the freight of what he produced to the nsareat market was half the value of the produce itself. He instanced the csse of a settler sending apples to Auckland, the railwar charges on which amounted to l^d per lb M id less than what they realised when sold. Talking of the causes «f the present depression all over the world and a preventative for it, he said some craved for " free trade" and some for "protection" as a panacea for theevil, but they find countries that had both these, and were still depressed. He thought the cause was re action on the immense amount of money expended on the formation of railways, that at the the present time are not paying what they should. Some £4,000,000,000 had been expended during the last 30 years m such construction, and from the fact that the railways so made were iv the hands of private capitalists or Governments that 4 held them for political purposes instead of tho purposes for which they were constructed, that was, opening up the country. Railways must be made distributing agents, not consentrating as at present. (Hear, hear.) Mr Vaile then explained hw diagram, showing by placing four stations in the first 30 miles from the market town, all at the same fare of 6d, it would only be a matter of the small amount of time a settler took in going to and fro whether he was settled 7, 14, 21, or 30 miles from such centre, as his goods travelling by night and his servants being paid by time would make no difference to him, and he would further have the advantage of picking land most suitable for his particular calling, knowing the above facts would make no difference to his profits were he 7, 14, 21, or 30 milea away from town. This method would also apply to the next section of 30 miles, and so on, as naturally the further from town the laud could be procured, at such diminution, that would meet the small extra charge of 6d covering such 30 miles. Mr Maxwell told him it was impossible to carry long distances at such small fares, in answer to which he would say : if in India, where the construction of the line cost £<i 5,000 a mile they could carry a person 430 miles for 9s 6d, and in England, where the London and Metropolitan line cost (with purchase of property) £630,000 au.ile, they could carry a fare 436 miles for 4s 6Vd. It was absurd that in this country, "where railways did not coat the 80fch part of such sum, to aay it could not be done. It only required to be tried — no half measures, but the whole scheme— and any man with ordinary thinking powers must see that it would succeed. The question of cheap transit, and the success of the same were forcibly brought under their notice day after day. He then instanced the tram cars iv Auckland, that with no appreciable increase in the population, were carrying crowds of people for 3d, wheie a few months or years ago the 'buses weieemi,ty at Is 2s, or 3s fares a<» the case might be— pioving that, given a diminution of faies, tho numbers of travellers would be quadrupled. By calculation, if his scheme was canied out, with reduced fares, ho pioved that two fares for one at "present would show a slight profit, three fares, £200,000 profit, five fares, £(>OO,OOO pinfit. (Hear, hear.) He would not waste their time by showing the present failure of the railways, but urged them not to accept Sir J. Vogel's ten .'million loan, to produce more such uu- . profitable lines, but use their best endeavours by signing the petition prepared -by him (a number of which were given to the leading citizens), making it a hard and fast line with their representative to support it in Parliament, and push the dause oh ; by which they at nil events would not be hanging an extra £500,000 ft yeaVinterest round thefr neck, but open ft way foT money to be made by their greatest wealth producing possession, (if properly worked) the railways. Mr Vaile resumed • his seat amid loud applause. The Chairman said Mr Vaile would be ' happy to answer any questions put to him. . Archdeacon Willis asked for a fuller explanation of some items re fares, &c, and Mr Vaile having answered them, Mr Russell rose, and in a practical speech moved the following resolution :— " That this meeting, whilst thanking Mr Vaile for his address this evening, desires to express its opinion that tho system of railway freights and fares proposed by him is sound financially and calculated to uromoto the progress and prosperity of the country, and especially to develop the inland districts." This was duly seconded and carried tinanimonsly. Mr Vails proposed & vote of thanks to the chairman, and after numerous signatures had been appendedto the petition, the meeting closed.