THE RAILWAY COMMISSIONERS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2582, 29 January 1889, Page 2

THE RAILWAY COMMISSIONERS.

Tub Executive ComuiiUe of the Railway 'Ro.foi-m League held :i niuetiiii,' ycj-tiiday .■iftetnoon, at which Me-isrs Primrose and Ede/ecumbo and Ciiptaiiii .Steele and liePheison wcrel.rjstnt. Air i'rininiso moved " 1 hat tile New Zealand Railway Reform Leayuo view with alarm the appointment ot Mr Maxwell ai.nn of the Railway Comiuissioners, and the followiliK are a few of the reasons for such objection. Ist. That tho railway system as'liith'Tto carried on under Mr Max well'.sole HKina|,'unieiit. has caused great dissat.i.faction, especially so to those situated at Ion" distances from the centres of population. Secondly. That the rules, regulations, and conditions under which the lines have been run arc needlessly complicated and oppressive, and er-p'Ciaily mo In tin. smaller settleis, and are a great b.ir to successful settlement. Thirdly. That after an exhaustive enquiry by a Committee of the House of Representatives into the pre.enl system of railway m iiiageun-nt, appointed by Parliament, no su-.'li change as that admitted to havo been lie-ircd by the public has taken place, although the com ~,,lteeof the House reported as follows :- "That it may be inferred from the numerous petitions o'n the subject letened to tlio Committee that a great d.-al of discontent and desire for jlku.o exist in the cohiny in regard to the present system of railway management. These, petitions also favour the adoption of Mr Vaile's sy-netr. i hat although the system now in force in New Zealand is similar to that in the United Kingdom and its dependencies, and is well administered, it is nevertheless not s.iti-tac-toi-y in a system. That tlu.rii is generally a belief that the present scale of charges is higher than is desirable in the best inlore.-ts of the colony, and that a, considerably reduced scale, especially as regards the cani.Koof ijo..r.lsfoi'lon« distances, and as ivß.ird-i New Zealand products, would 1 irov.ly promote settlKiinuit anil production."' And lastly, that upon Mr Maxw.'li's return to tho colony after a ] -ii'-ih.-ncd tour round the wn-ld he ex-p;vs.-ed h:m-elf that ill.' pres'dit railway system and management, in New Zealand was all i hate mil be desired. Captain Steele, in s> ending tin: resolution, -aid the Leagii". li-kI bet-n trying f. r vi •«•■= t>. --i-ciiiv a cliang"! in tliM railway policy, a,i<l n-.w saw with alarm that Mr j Mr;weirsi;a,u.: was included in the Commissinu. Til- (Jhi.-f Commissioner, he thoir'hl-, would r-ceive every eucouragein MiTfr-.-n Wailcato and b; alfonU'd lnforinition bearii.g mi th,i peii'.'i'al complaints again-t the present charges. _ On the motion of Captain Steele seconded by Captain Mr P.imsou, the" secretary was instructed to f uward a copy of tli-: above res ilutions t i th.i Premier. •V hearty vote of thanks to Mi- Samuel Vaiie f..r his z-al-iH exerti .us in the mat tor of railway reform were passed by the meeting.