Cheap Railway Travelling.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 15, 10 April 1902, Page 18

Cheap Railway Travelling.

The Minister of Railways, Sir Joseph G. Ward, has intimated that he will make still further reductions in railway rates and fares. The Colonial Treasurer has already said that the Government will be satisfied with a return of 3 per cent, on the principal outlay, and that all above that will be returned in the shape of concessions. Cheap communication is as beneficial to the community as cheap ipostal facilities are, and any outlay on such is a wise investment. And in this connection we have a suggestion to offer to the Government. The recent concessions in fares were

partly delusive, for the price of a return ticket remains at about double the price of a single one. This is in conflict with common * commercial usage, ;which makes a concession in such cases. But'^l we would go still further, and urge that a concession should be given to those who travel greater distances. Tor example, if the fare for one mile be twopence, the fare for one hundred miles is a hundred times twopence, or 16s Bd, and for 300 miles 255. It would seem to us to be in accord with common commercial usage if a sliding scale were adopted. [Furthermore, passenger rates are altogether out of proportion to goods rates. Eailway engineers compute the cost of haulage by the number of units of steam necessary to haul a ton a mile. It costs no more to haul a ton of human flesh and blood a mile than a ton of granite. There are of course some extra equipments required by way of carriages, etc., but against this it must ba urged that the human freight loads and unloads itself. And we are also aware that some attempt is made to adjust freights with some relation to the value of the goods carried. For example, coal is carried more cheaply than drapery, and rough stone more cheaply still. The bane of precedent is too apparent in many official matters. There is too great a tendency to follow methods in use elsewhere and adapt them to local circumstances instead of striking out on original lines. Railway travelling should not be a luxnry set apart for the comparatively well to do.