The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. TUESDAY, NOV. 29, 1887.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2401, 29 November 1887, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

TUESDAY, NOV. 29, 1887.

J'i'jn.il ami exact justice to all men, Ol whatsoever state or persuasion, religious opolitic,il.

Tim proposal to hand over the management of tin; railways to the control of a Board of Commissioners needs careful consideration. The Board is to consist of three Coin missioners appointed hy the Gover-nor-in-Councii, who shall hold ollice for a space of live years. A Commissioner can bo removed only for misbehaviour by resolution of the General Assembly when in session, or by the Governor when Parliament is not sitting, by writing addressed to tlie Minister. A r o Commissioner is to be interested in any contract made on behalf of the Board under a penalty of TeOO, or three years’ imprisonment. The Board is to be invested with extraordinary powers. The railways tire vested in the Commissioners, and they may construct new lines. The Government will have no control over the railways, ali their powers being delegated to the Board. The Board will have the entire maintenance of the railways and work them in a state of olliciency, and will obtain all necessary monies on imprest from the Treasury as they may require for additional rolling stock. Quo of the most important features of the Bill is that empowering the Commissioners to make, alter, or revoke bye-laws, impose dill'crcntial rales and charges for the conveyance of freights and passengers. The rail way telegraph lines will be vested in them and the Public Reserves Act, will apply to them. The supervision and regulation of ail ollicers and employees will he under the control of the Board, and the Bill provides that the Commissioners shall present an annual report to the Assembly on the working of the railways, with an account of the receipts and expenditure for the year. it is ode red in support of the proposals that a non political Railway Board has realised all the expectations in Victoria : therefore, arguing by analogy, a similar system will succeed in New Zealand. In tincase of the railways of Victoria, and Now South Wales also, there is no similitude with the railway system of this colony. In the sister colonies, the, lines radiate from one common centre to various districts in the interior, which aro circumstances favourable to an easy and uniform method of controlling the lines. In New Zetland, on the contrary, where the natural configuration of the country oiler obstacles to uniformity and continuity of the lines, the railway system is split up in sections centred in as many proviutial districts, each requiring spsiial control and management.

It is tliis unfortunate though uns;irmo:intali|e feature that creates

an element of great danger in the nnemitrelled powers proposed to be given to the Commissioners to alter the rates and charges as they please, for it is almost a ceriainty that some districts will he made to .suffer, or will he favoured, hy diOerenta.l rates. It is, again, a moot question whet her the Legislature will In* acting wisely in relegating to a nominee. Board with such large powers the entire control of the rail vay.s of the.colony. Under the. Maxwell regime the country dialled at the vexations and inexplicable rules and regulations 1m imposed, and complained of the undue extent of his personal, even autocratic, control over the entire, affairs of the Department, What was found fault with in the hands of one man, subject directly to the .Minister, and through him to the House, the Bill will intensify by conferring upon three men, possessing far larger powers entirely removed from the influence, of the Ministry or Parliament. If the reform of our railway system is to take the shape of removing them out of the hands of the Government or the Legislature, would it not be preferable to lease them as they now exist in sections, and permit private commercial enterprise to work them ? If this wore done the best practical examples that could be followed to popularise them and make them reproductive, would be those offered for our edification by the, American railway companies. The object of the Bill appears to bo to enable the railways to become payable. Wo submit that this was not the primary object which the construction of lines of railway in this colony was intended to obtain. T’lio principle which first animated the Public Works Policy, but which was foolishly departed from, was to encourage and facilitate the settlement of the unpopulated portions of both Islands. Mr Valle’s agitation, so warmly supported by this district, had in view a return to this first and most desirable principle; but it is to be feared that the present Bill, if it biconics law, will depart further from that point, and 11011, moreover, make it all the more uncertain that a trial can ever be given to Mr Valle’s scheme.