RAILWAY REFORM LEAGUE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2298, 2 April 1887, Page 2

RAILWAY REFORM LEAGUE.

A special meeting- of the Executive Committee of the league was held on Thursday afternoon at the Hamilton Borough Chambers. The meeting was called at the request of Messrs F. D. Rich and S. Vaile, ■•in in addition to these gentleman there were present: Capt. Steele, Capt. McPherson, Messrs A. Primrose, Geo. Edgecumbe, G. W. Russell, C. J. W. Barton. Greville Smith and l'\ J. Von Stunner (secretary). Mr Primrose, iu the absence of Mr W. A. Graham, was voted to the chair. The committee discussed at length various suggestions as to the plan of campaign during the forthcoming session. Ultimately it was resolved on Mr Vailes motion that the paragraphs in the petition, adopted at the Hamiltonmeeting last month, referring to Mr Vaile bo .struck out, and the petition was remodelled and adopted as follows : — The petition of the undersigned inhabitants of the colony of New Zealand humbly showeth : —Tlvityour petitioners desire to call the attention of your Honourable House to the universal discontent which exists with the present policy of the management of the railways of the colony, and to the serious financial ioss made by the Railway Department. That your petitioners are of opinion tint the present system of administration has failed to give satisfactory results, whether regarded from a financial point of view, or as a means of promoting settlement of the country, and the expansion of trade and commerce. That, in the opinion of your petitioners, a change of policy has become imperatively necessary.. That, during the last session of your Honourable House a committee was appointed, to inquire into the system of railway administration proposed by Mr Samuel Vaile of Auckland.

That the committee reported the following findings :—(1.) That it. may be inferred, from the numerouspetitions on the subject referred to the Committee, tuat a great deal of discontent and desire for change exists in the colony in regard to the present system of railway management. These petitions also favour the adoption of Mr Vaile's system. (2.) That although the system now in force in New Zealand is similar to that iu the United Kingdom and its dependencies, and is well administered, it is nevertheless not satisfectory as a system. (3.) There is generally a belief that the present scale of charges is higher than is desirable in the best interests of the colony ; and that a considerably reduced scale, especially as regards the carriage of goods for long distances, and as regards New Zealand products, would largely promote settlement and production. That the said committee recommended that Mr Vaile's system ought to be accorded a trial, but attached conditions, which practically rendered the carrying out of such trial an impossibility. Your petitioners therefore pray that these adverse conditions may be removed, and that the House may be pleased to arrange that a trial may be given to the scheme which will test its efficiency, not only as a means of increasing the revenue, but also and specially as a means of settling the country ; and that, should it not be deemed advisable to try the scheme on the whole of the railways of the colony, a trial should be given on either the Hurunui-Blutf, Napier-Woodville, or Auckland lines'. It was further resolved that a brief exposition of Mr Vaile's scheme be sent to every member of Parliament as well as to the local bodies, and the necessity for printing and distributing leaflets setting out the main points of the system was fully -\c knowledged. It having further been desided that meetings of the committee should be called as occasion arose, a lieartv vote of thanks was accorded to Jijp Vaile for his services in the cause of railway reform and the committee rose. '