The Bruce Herald. "Nemo me impune lacesset." TOKOMAIRIRO, NOVEMBER 5. 1889.

Bruce Herald, Volume XX, Issue 2113, 5 November 1889, Page 2

The Bruce Herald. "Nemo me impune lacesset." TOKOMAIRIRO, NOVEMBER 5. 1889.

We understand that an enquiry into the origin of the fire at Mr A. Fbaser's was held on Eriday, and we naturally conclude that the jury returned an open verdict. We knew nothing of the affair until it was over, and as the Coroner took away his notes of the evidence with him, we are consequently unable to publish the details. This gi?es us an opportunity of protesting against the whole management of Coroners' enquiries. Either they are designed for the public benefit or they are not. If they are intended to be of any service, it is high time some regulations were made and enforced to put this hole and corner method of holding them to a stop. Over and over again it has been only by the merest accident we have discovered that an inquest was about to be held. In this case we heard nothing about it until tbe enquiry was over. The practice seems tp be that the Coroner notifies hie intention the night before, or even

on the very morning of the enquiry. The constable goes round the neighborhood and impresses a sufficient' number of men. At less tthan half an hour's notice they have' j; to -m;eet, hear the evidence and find their verdict. And to save trouble the men most likely to be found at home are always pitched upon, and so the unspeakable privilege of sitting upon a Coroner's jury is confined to a few. The whole thing is a complete farce. Forty-eight hours' notice at least should be given of such enquiries, and that notice should be either advertised, or, where that is not possible, announced in such a manner that some' of the public at any rate may know what is about to take . place. As a rule, neither" the evidence brought out at such enquiries nor the verdict given is of much interest or importance, but there is no knowing when it may be. And it is certainly highly improper that any such court should be held sub rosa, as it practically is in many cases now.

It is strange that although there is universal dissatisfaction with the management of the New Zealand railways, a dissatisfaction which has existed for years, which the rule of the Commissioners haa not touched, the people of the colony should stop short at grumbling. True, an organisation called the Railway Reform League does exist somewhere in the North Island, but very little is heard of its proceedings. It seems just now to have partly awoke from its lethargy, and has sent all round the colony a circular on the Hungarian railways. Many of our contemporaries have written articles on this circular, and we intend to follow suit. But in the first place it may be well to have a word with our un travelled readers, of whom, as is the case with most country journals, we have not a few. Unacquainted with other railway systems, they are content with ours, and think it strange that some people should be always complaining. The reason is simply this : Those of us who have seen a little of the world are aware that in other countries railways no better constructed, no costlier, with no more favorable lay of country, with no superior rolling stock, travel faster, convey passengers and goods at cheaper rates, and are managed by methods arranged to more fully chime with the public convenience than is the case with the New Zealand railways. It is only natural, and not only natural but proper that these people should complain because they have to pay so dearly for an inferior service. It may be taken for granted that most journalists have travelled a little — if they have not, they are scarcely fitted for their work ; that being so, it is hardly to be wondered at that there is scarcely an issue o£ a newspaper in the whole colony which does not contain one or more paragraphs abusing the management of the railways. This would be ridiculous if nothing better could be done, or if every reasonable endeavor were made to meet the wishes and convenience of the public which owns and uses the lines. The Exhibition is just now bringing the subject to the front. It is to be hoped that throughout the length and breadth of the land there will be an agitation which will not subside until the whole working of the railway system is revolutionised. The Exhibition fares are already published, and they are fixed at such rates as clearly show that the Commissioners are utterly incapable of properly discharging their duties, or thoroughly indifferent whether the public necessities are met and satisfied, or otherwise. That they, can be so ignorant as to suppose they are acting in such a way as to increase the railway revenue, or maintain it at its present figure, we can scarcely imagine. A correspondent writing to a contemporary very aptly says :— " The feeling at the root of railway management seems to be one of antagonism to the public. Anything which would seem to add to the convenience of the public, is a thing to be hindered and obstructed in every way. No privately-owned railway could be managed in such a spirit, because there the question of profit causes them to study the needs of their customers." The trifling concessions—or, to be more correct, fractional approximations to more reasonable fares — which have been made from time to time amount altogether to very little, and have not been sufficient to increase the traffic. The consequences have sometimes been that these smali reductions have had an exactly opposite effect. Mr Vaile, the "Auckland railway . reformer, goes so far as to say that if long distance fares were reduced to a fifth of present rates — if 4s were charged where 20s is now — it would be an enormous public boon, and re- 1 suit in a direct money gain to the railway department. We do not think that Mr Vaile at all exaggerates, but if he does there is a very wide margin to work upon between 20a and 4s. The excursion traffic which obtains eveiy summer in New Zealand is well enough, but even the excursion fares are not really very reasonable. They are simply such reductions on the excessively high ordinary rates as look low by contrast. As everybody knows, Mr Vaile is continually trying to hammer it into the heads of our legislators that with a very decided reduction in charges the railways can be made to

pay better than they do now. "We have just received a circular on the Hungarian railway system, which a writer in one of our contemporaries thinks has been framed on the lines indicated by Mr Vaile. So far as that system, and as Mr Vaile's ideas are concerned, we can say that neither is new. "We read elaborate articles on the principle as it might be applied to - English railways more than thirty years ago. But the Government of Hungary has so far as we" kno w been the first to carry the theory into practice upon anything like an extensive scale. It has hardly passed the experimental stage as yet, but the prospect of success is most assuring. In order that our readers may understand the subject we reprint elsewhere the article referred to; It will be seen that the whole scheme is based upon a careful examination of existing facts relating to railway transit. Private railway companies, 1 although they do not work their traffic- upon these methods, yet in their endeavours to, suit the convenience {of -their customers, and as a cpnseqiience make their lines pay, act upon very, similar principles. Hungary seems to be tlie. first country ih the world in which! the State has endeavoured to manage its Tailways upon commercial^ principles, and the experiment -will ; doubtedly succeed; - And that is just all we want in. New Zealand. „ We want the lines to be managed just as a company of merchants would manage their business— with the same tact, judgment, and skill exercised, the same desire to please, customers and make it to their advantage to come again with fresh orders. This we have never had yet, and' seem as far off from.it now under thejrule of the Commissioners as we .were,.; when the head of the railways held a portfolio in the Cabinet. If the fares and freights charged by the great English companies were as high'as those charged in New Zealand, ,a,nd if no more regard were paid by them to the requirements and convenience of the public than is paid by our railway authorities, stock in the London and North "Western, the Great Northern, the Midland, and, other .magnificent railway, systems., w;ould be . .almost valueless, and such a thing as* a divir dend would be almost .unknowri' by the shareholders. And the worst feature with us in 'New Zealand is that not only does the management of our railways suffer when contrasted with that of railways iri the, ; old world and in America, but it will not bear comparison with, that, of the other Australian colonies, eyen little Tasmania charges : lower. . rates, and the trains run at a far higher' speed. Unless some great alteration is immediately made the numerous visitors to the Exhibition will take away with them as one of their strongest impressions of the colony the remembrance of the utterly inefficient way in which everything connected , with our railway system is managed/ -'""[The larticle above referred to is. unavoidably held over till next issue.]

Ik the Victorian Legislative. Assemb-, ly the Patents Bill has passed/all stages. It provides for the ... English.' system of granting patents^ andjmakes: a substantial reduction in fees, which will be as follows : — £3 for . . three, years, £5 10s for seven years, arid £8 for 14 years.; In his remarks on the bill, the Attorney-general expressed a | hope that the EeSeral Cbuncil would assimilate the charges. So, runs a telegram of last Thursday's date. j This Federal Council referred tOjcame I into existence with a somewhat bi^ I flourish of trumpets a few years ! ago, . and has held its annual sittings since,' but as yet it has accomplished nothing I of any particular value to the colonies.' Here is an opportunity for usefulness. The recommendation . of the Victorian Parliament does not strike us as being of much value. It does not go far enough. A patent in this part of' the ' 1 world is of little use unless it covers all the colonies, and at even the v re; duced charges quoted, lit would, with incidental expenses added, cost more ' to patent an invention throughout.the colonies than most inventors can afford. "We can hardly suppose that any colonial G-overnment runs its patent office for revenue purposes. If it does the sooner it retires from such an improper course the better. It seems to us that this is a department, the charge for the services of whicli ought to be cut down to the lowest possible figure, be made in fact just? sufficient to cover actual expenses arid ! no more. "We hold ;that this is a m atter in which . the colonies .cp uld-; easily combine without waiting for, the,, aid of the Eederal Council. "Were this done an inventor could protect the fruits of his genius, skill, and industry throughout all the colonies' for a very little more than it now costs him to take out a patent in either one of them. The advantages of this, and the facility with which . such •a _ plan could be carried out are to ; bur mind so obvious, that it would' be waste of time to argue on tK& sub-| ject. There is no stronger stimulus* to invention, than, simple patent laws/ with low fees. _. The. Americans .found this out long ago, Although all the colonies have of late vastly improved their methods, and .. . lowered ..their .< charges there is scope for much; re--form yet, especially in the direction we have indicated. The present little scandal about the infringement,, of. Pond's, New Zealand, patent for! butter-boxes is a case in point:" TheF; .. conduct of the Victorian; Goveramißntl'

cannot be defended on any ground whatever that we can see. If snch a facility as we hive suggested were in existence this difficulty would never have arisen. "We suggest that some memberof.the Houseintroducethe subject at the earliest opportunity. "We aref persuaded that if this or any other , cpibriy commenced negotiations on thcaubject iwitH: the ... other GJ-orern-ments the ; matter • would soon . be settled. ."' ; :- .:;.; .