CORRESPONDENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 149, 25 June 1888, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

1 WHANGAHEI-KAMO LINE.—THE MINISTER OE PUBLIC WORKS' TELEGRAM.

(To the Editor.) Sir,—This telegram contains the following statements :—

1. Every hand that could be discharged has been, and there is next to nothing going

on. 2. When the mines closed the passenger traffic fell off, and we raised the fares on the remainder to prevent tho revenue falling to the same extent. 3. The stoppage of expenses is due to tho stoppage in traffic generally. 4. Vaile's system is not in operation at Whangarei. THIS 13 MY REPLY : During 1887-8 the Governmentsystem was working 20 weeks. The comparison is, therefore, unfair to me. This is proved by tho more favourable returns for the last few months. FIKST STATEMENT. 1886-7—No. of Employes ... 22 1887-B—No. of Employes ... 10 Or 12 less. 1886-7-Total tonnage hauled, 32,654 tons. 1887-B—Total tonnage hauled, 13,558 tons. Decrease, 19,096 tons. This decrease was in minerals only. Does the Minister mean to tell us that in order to handle an extra 19,000 tons of coal on a, line with everything in running order it would bo necessary to more than double the entire staff? There is more doing in the othor classes of goods traffic than there was in tho previous year. SECOND STATEMENT. This is obscure, and certainly not correct. ' . *'. . ; ■'- ■- - ■ Before tho alteration faros varied from od for half of a second-class return to ls 9d for a first-class single. Now, tho only fares charged are 9d firstclass and 6d second for the whole or any portion of tho entire length of line. Tho effect litis been that the average fare paid was 5-Sths of a penny more than last year, but to four out of five stations the fares have been greatly reduced. THIRD STATEMENT. It is very easy to prove that this is incorrect. 1886— 1— Train mileage run... 17,058 miles 1887—8—do. do ... 12,000 „ Decrease 5,058 If the system remained the same, it follows, as a matter of course, that tho price per mile of running 12,000 miles would be greater than that of running 17,000, but this is what occurred :— &. d. 1886—7—Cost of train mile (17,058 miles) 4 0 1887-8- do. do. (12,000 miles) ... 35* It is very c.ear tho saving has not been effected by the favourite process of ceasing to run trains. FOURTH STATEMENT. Of course it is not " Vaile's system }"' we all know the Department would say that, but whab they may choose to say does not alter the fact. It is my system, pure and simple, so far as it is possible to develop that system on one stage only. So far as the public is concerned, it matters nothing' whether it is my system or somebody else's : there is no disputing the fact that a system has been put in force by Which enormous facilities have been given to the public, the revenue increased, and immense Savings made in the cost of administration, and we want to know why this systerii shbitld not be put in fotce on the whole of our railways, as it holds out a fair prospect of saving the country at least four hundred thousand pounds (£400,000) per annum.—lam, &.C., Samuel Vaile.

Auckland, June 21, 1888,