POWERS OF THE RAILWAY COMMISSION.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2583, 31 January 1889, Page 3

POWERS OF THE RAILWAY COMMISSION.

The Railway Commissioners are the most powerful mem in the colony, if absence of restriction upon their action in dealing with an immense property is so considered. Their powers have thus b on sketched by an influential contemporary :— The Commissioners, from the moment ot thMir creation, become a corporation with jvCou.mon Seal, and possessed of all t,ie railways, rolling stock, and buddings, lnev hold office for five years subject to good behaviour, and can only be suspended by tiio Governor, acting, of curse, on tlia advice of Minister, and subject to subsequent approval by tlm Legislature. Ihey are to manage, work and maintain the railways already in existence, as we..l ■us niiy hereafter constructed, and the construction of which, after the requisite funds have been appropriated the is to rest in their hands. Ihey have full powers to lix rates and to »r ran"o the traffic, and to exercise all the r ,,wers heretofore vested by the Public Works Acts in the < J, nernor-m Council or in Ministers. They are to reconstruct, duplicate, or otherwise extend the railways when money is appropriated by Parliament for those purposes, and are bound to keep them in repair, acting in all matters on their own responsibility, except in cases ot unforeseen emergency when they will require the concurrence of Ministers. Ihey have entire control over the employees ot all kinds, may fix their salaries and wages, and appoint, or dismiss them, subject to certain conditions almost nominal in character. Tli-y may issue licenses to sell wiues or spirits in refreshment imomis attached to railway stations, and make bylaws for the regulation of these, lefreshment r<...ins, as well as for the traffic<m the railways Vnerallv. in short their powe.s embrace all' those hitherto wielded by iho Government, with the iiu portant reception - as we understand the Ai-t-that theSMim to be ex- ■ HMldcrl by the Comniissioneis will be voted in glubo by the Assembly on their own estimates, instead of I'imiij? appropriated to each officer or class of expenditure as here|..f..rc The. Act is not quite clear mi this point. It. merely requires that estimates of each year's requirements -hall be sent m by the Conmiis-ioiieis. What is to be done with these estimates, whether they are to be laid in detail before the As-embly, or who is to in*s them t!i:oii..<h Urn H'-usp in th .t. cise l-i not sta'e.l. liefurencs is made in several clauses to expenditure " from sums appropriated," mid we. theielore inter that the estimates to be supplied by the Coinmissions will b>: levUod w adopted by Ministers, and by them passed in globo. -Vtiy other course will not get lid of the influences which the appointment of the Com mk-iionors was intended to overcome, iho Commissioners vacate, their office by bankruptcy, or if interested in any contracts in connection with the railways, or if they outer upon any other business, or are absent for fourteen consecutive days without leave from the Governor. Their salaries are paid with annual appropriation by Parliament and the Chief Commissioner has powers of independent action, when hois opposed to tho opinion of the other Commissioners, but he must then report the full particulars of the difference to the Government for their information. The Chief Commissioner has also iv casting vote as well as a deliberative vote at all meeting*, it will be seen from this summary how great are the powers of the, Commissioner, and how grave the change which is now being made, iiint change comes into operation as soon as the Government Railways Act of ISS7 is proclaimed in force.