POLITICAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XIII, Issue 2711, 5 July 1892, Page 2

POLITICAL.

(from our parliamentary correspondent.)

Wellington, July 4. RAILWAY COMMISSIONERS* REPORT. The Commissioners' report on working railways shows a net profit for the yea of .£408,914, or a return of £2 15.5 9d on the capital cost. There is £3000 more than the estimated falling off m grain, sheep, and meat traffic, bub the other classes*, especially passengers, have made up. The ordinary tickets issued amounted to 3,555,764, to which have to be added 16,341 season tickets for the current year. The gross revenue is estimated at £1,140,000, and the expenses £717,000, or a net profit of £423,000. The Commissioners testify to the good condition of the lines and appliances, but draw special attention to the fact that the expansion of railways throughout sparsely populated districts is not likely to add to the revenue. The Commissioners refer to the establishment of another goods station at Te Aro as likely to lead to unsatisfactory results, and add that traffic m years papt has been more progressive on the Wellington section than on any other parts. Complaints regarding the' inconvenient hours between Wellington, New Plymouth, and Napier can be avoided by the Manawatu Company running a passenger service instead of a mixed one, or by the Commissioners running its lines. The Commissioners are unable to obtain from the Company consideration of the subject. If the colony take over the Manawatu railway the through service could be greatly improved. The Commissioners recommend Government to adopt their propqsal for insurance of employees. The Zone system has been shown to merely increase the suburban traffic, as at BudaPesth. bwing to the absence of the Hon. Mr McKenzie who is, ill, the Land BilJ h.sta npt yet cpme down. A deputation of Aucklanders waited, on the Premier to-day asking him to appoint a new committee to take certain recently acquired important information with reference to the rival routes of the North Island Trunk Line. He pointed out that the information would entirely alter the aspect of the matter. One of the deputation had traversed both routes. They would leave the decision as;to which is the best route m the hands of the Committee, confident of the result after the evidence had been submitted. The Premier promised to confer with the deputation as to the personnel of; the committee. COMPENSATION. An effort is being made to get the second reading of the Victuallers Compensation Bill delayed for fen days, to gjve the pub 1 lie an opportunity of' expressing their opinion. lIAJNMER MAINS SPRINGS,. Mr Meredith got a promise frojn the Government that telegraphic communication will be opened from Culverden to Hanmer Plains, so as to place the colony m connection with this sanatorium and popularise if;, EER PBBSS A3§Opi VHON., ?HE COMPENSATION BILL, I A petition against the Compensation to Publicans Bill is being taken round for signature, Its opponents say the Bill has been sprung upon the public suddenly, without allowing time for the country to express itself respecting it, and they claim that the Victorian experiment pleases neither public or publicans, and that ito repeal is being agitated.