The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News and the Morning News. TUESDAY, DECEMBER, 1, 1874.

Auckland Star, Volume V, Issue 1500, 1 December 1874, Page 2

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News and the Morning News.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER, 1, 1874.

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We yesterday referred to the sweeping changes which the newly fledged Manager of Constructed Railways is introducing in the conduct of the Onehunga branch. We are pleased to see that our morning contemporaries are not afraid to take the same course, and that in this morning's issues they both vigorously denounce the penny wise and pound foolish system introduced,, which cannot but prove dangerous to life and limb to the travelling public. Mr Passmore has not been very long in charge of our railway, but he appears to have successfully caused the very result against which he is endeavouring to provide by his cheeseparing policy. Most people will be surprised to learn that under him the line has been losing £150 per month. It is very well known that while m charge of the Messrs Brogden, the line not only paid its expenses, but realised such a profit that the Government were impelled to take it over by a desire to nett the gains. Bat they had apparently not taken into account the difference caused in the results of management when that management was transferred from an experienced firm to the hands of a

young man, who, though no doubt very deserving, had no experience at all in this particular business, save indeed during the few months during which, at the expense of New Zealand he had gone home to England to see the running of trains. We yesterday referred to the falling off ia receipts in the matter of monthly tickets from £50 to £5. Our morning contemporaries speaft: of Several firms who Had it their interest to resume dray traffic for the Conveyance of their goods; and we were to-day informed by the manager1 of an extensive establishment in the practice of having large quantities of freight transported between Auckland and Onehunga, that the relative advantages are in favour of carrying by drays. The cost in this case is the same by truck and by horsevehicle, but whereas ill the one case there are three separate loadings, on to dray, from dray to truck, and from truck to dray again, and hours for transmission must be punctually kept; in the other case, with but a single loading, at any hour of the day or night, with not nearly so much chafing or injury to the goods, and at precisely the same cost, the goods are taken from the yard and delivered. If these are all the advantages to be derived from our public works policy, then it is about to be as precious a bungle as has been the conduct of immigration. Both were nobly conceived, and both will be ruined, it seems, by incompetence. Instead of developing the duties of the employes on the railway, by opening up the traffic along the line as it extends towards the Waikato, which could be fully carried out by the same staff ; without in the least impairing their efficiency, the simpler process is adopted of sacking the employed, so as to bring the cost within a certain limit. But there is an aspect of this business that should force itself especially on public attention. The diminution in the number of the railway staff concerns the travelling public. Messrs Brogden, who are not likely to throw money away for nought, and who should not be expected to be so solicitous for the public safety a3 the Government oueht to be, found it necessary to maintain a certain number to work the railway to Onehunga. This number has been materially decreased, and the remnant arc miserably paid. This is nothing less than a public dan«er. The raising of fares and freight will be its own cure, but travellers are all unconscious of the peril that may be momentarily hanging over them in the fact of there being an insufficient number in the control of the trains and line and traffic* to guard against danger. Those travelling by r ailway at present are unquestionably doing SO ac their own peril ; and ou public grounds ifc ia to bo hoped that the coaches will be resumed, aud that those at least who desire to avoid the possibility of being smashed up in a collision, may ha\e the opportunity of indulging the instinct of self-preservation. No accident has occurred to passengers since the Hue was opened. This will possibly dispel fe.irs from intending travellers, but i should ofc be forgotten that the circumstances are wholly alfcereli and that the sufficient and efficient staff which hitherto gave safety to travellers on the line is now scattered. We regard it as a positive danger to now travel on the Onehunga line under the conduct of that line by Mr, Passraore, ami we earnestly hope that the Government will try to give better guarantees of safety to the public, or that the public will sec to its own safety by refraining from the railway until, in the appointment of a sufficient and sufficiently-paid stalF, such guarantee of safety is afforded.