CORRESPONDENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 249, 20 October 1891, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

SELLING OUR RAILWAYS,

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —Aa this is a matter of paramount importance to all in the colony, I crave permission to contribute my mite to the discussion. At present the railways are owned by the colony and worked at a loss. The result is that we are ail taxed to make good the deficiency—even those who live so far reroute from the lines of railway fchat they receive no benefit direct or indirect from them. If the railways were sold this would not be the case. Those who used the railways would pay for services rendered. All others in the colony would pay nothing. Against the equity of such a position I venture to say nothing can be urged. It is asserted by those opposed to the change that if the railwaye were sold to a company we should hays differential rating. As can easily be proved, we have that already, and it is not likely that we should Lave more of ib if the railways were owned by a company. Parliament can easily safeguard the people by making conditions that the rates shall' not be higher than they are at present. The probability is that a company owning the railways would reduce rates, which! would be a "distinct advantage to those using them, without any risk of entailing

fresh burdens on the general body of taxpayers. At present the life blood is being drawn out of the colony in the form of interest on our loans, which goes to LoDdon. If this drain on our resources can be reduced by one half by the selling of our railways, by all means let us seil them. Our taxation can then be very materially reduced, and I feel quite sure that our railways will be worked more advantageously by shrewd business men than they have been by Ministers for Public Works and irresponsible Commissioners.— I am, etc., William Rattray. 130, Queen-sfcreet. (To the Editor.) Sib,—" Practical" believes, as 1 do, that it is impossible to work the New Zealand railways successfully on commercial principles with our small population, and we ought to sell them for that reason. It is an important fact that buyers would have to double the population before they could double the receipts. The stipulation of sale to have Parliamentary trains or rates is a wise one, and fully protects the public interest. Now a word for the silent, uncomplaining masses who do not use the railways. These are represented by the bulk ef the working men, and by the whole of the settlements away from the line of railway communication. "Facts" speaks of an annual loss of £400,000 on our railways, which these people have to pay without any recompense. How long will working men stand this running of railways at a dead loss ? Why, every hundred thousand pounds loss represents a year's wages to one thousand men. Fancy that! Enough money lost yearly to keep upwards of four thousand families in the colony. Next to be considered are the settlers without roads and away from railways. Are these an inferior class"of people, that they are so neglected, and that no substantial aid is given to road-making? If the large sum now paid away annually out of taxes as railway deficiency were expended among labouring men as above, it would greatly increase the prosperity of settlors and to facilitate settlement. Then there ai*e thousands of people located conveniently to navigable river or sea coast. This class are paying to keep railways going which they do not use. Why should the large proportion of colonists have to support a railway form of traffic without getting a similar share of revenue devoted to the system of traffic suitable to their localities 1 There is nothing " national" in "robbing Peter," who lives away from railways, " to pay Paul," because the latter has had fifteen millions spent in luxurious railway contributions. Yet this annual robbery is going on. No wonder population go when they see how public money is fooled away on a railway system in a country whose chief national form of traffic should be Nature's highways, with jetties erected along sea coasts and rivers, with connecting roads tapping the interior. If the railways were sold ocean and river communication could receive attention, and whilst the trains are speeding through the land, the money liberated would perform a national work, stimulating further settlement, and in its circulation benefiting all.—l am, etc., John Waenock. Newton, October 18th, 1891.