THE RAILWAYS.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14522, 26 November 1912, Page 2

THE RAILWAYS.

APPOINTMENT OF AN EXPEKT . A REPLY TO CRITICISM. In answer to an enquiry as to when the new General Manager of the New Zealand ■■ Railways was likely to bo appointed, the Hon. _>'. M. B. Fisiier yesterday informed a reporter that ho did not know exactly how far matters had gone, but applications ■ wouid be called for by tho High Commissioner and others, and every attempt would be mado to secure a man who was fitted to fill the position. Thero were certain persons, . the Minister said, who seemed to take very great excepfc-on to the salary or* £3000 per annum being offered to the General Manager of tho New Zealand Kaiiways. Tuey ought not to forget that there was over £30,000,000 capital locked up in our railways, that after all wero the main arteries of our commercial life, and it was essential that in the head of so important an institution we must have tiie very best brains that it was possible for us to get. "One of the very extraordinary features of the criticisms of the members ol tho Opposition who protested and protested that" the job ought to go to a New Zealandcr, was really laughable,"' said Mr Fisher, "in.view of the fact that it is the constant practice in New Zealand to aiiow the best brains that wo havo in the country to bo bought out of it for use in other parts or tno world. New Zealand produced Professor Rutherford, but New Zealand wouid not pay Professor Rutherford ad adequate remuneration to keep him ia his own country. We had in IS'ew Zealand Professor Maelaurin, whose great attainments were . nevtr realised until he was secured as the president of - the ' largest technological institutes in the United States. The Americans pusd the money the New Zeatanaers wouldn't. We had Proiessor Gilruth. We wouldn't pay him enough, and the Labour Government in Australia is employing him. It recognised that iie haa brains. It gave hun the title of 'His liscedency.' It paid him a high salary, and put him in chaigo of the Northern territory. We had Professor Tucker, who is now Professor of Classical Philology in Melbourne. Canterbury College here ia CuristcLurch had Professor Dendy, who is now at King's College, London. Canterbury .College uiso had Professor Connal, now Professor of Classics at Leeds. We also had Professor Beatlie, of Otago University, now Professor of Pathology at Sheffield; and there was that brilliant young New Zealancler, Mr Marris,nowa member of the Indian Civil Service, and I believe practically the compiler and writer of the Constitution of the Union Parliament of South Africa, a most brilliant scholar, but not enough inducement was offered him in his own country to remain hero."

Yet the payment of £3000 per annum to an expert to manage and control j eleven or twelve thousand men and £30,000,000 of capital to free the great concern from political control and logrolling, and to-keep the political finger out of the railway pie, was decried. It was an imperative and necessary reform, and whilst a great deal depended upon the backbone and determination and diplomacy and the tact of the new general manager; Mr Fisher felt very hopeful that the public would endorse the change of policy till time had been riven to see it in practical operation There was no reason why a very com* retcnt man might not so train up the New Zealander that w e might never again have to co o«t of the conntrv for an expert. But under existing methods of administration it could not be said that the present service had been trained along proper lines.