Evening Post. TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 1894.

Evening Post, Volume XLVIII, Issue 50, 28 August 1894, Page 2

Evening Post. TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 1894.

A MIMSTEB OF BAILWAYS. ♦ There is not much likelihood of the Bailway Bill passing in anything resembling its present form. We do not suppose that' Ministers deßire that it should do so. The Bill has simply been drafted in a form 'which will invite and open discussion as to whether the railways are to revert to political control, or remain under the management of Commissioners. Parliament will doubtless decide this question in a decisive manner, and not accept the indefinite proposals, of the Bill. Wo need scarcely say that we are strongly in favour of the management of the railways remaining in the hands of a non-political Board of Commissioners, but there is, unfortunately, every reason to believe that a majority of the House desires a return to political control, so as to enlarge the sphere of Ministerial patronage" and increaso the number of plums to be picked up by subservient Ministerial followers. If the change is to be made, it had better be made at onoo. The term for which the present Commissioners are appointed is rapidly drawing to a close. If the management is to revert to the Government there can be no reason for renewing tho appointment of the Commissioners—unless, indeed, as we have heard it whispered iB the cose, the appointment for nine months was a sham, the time being fixed merely to throw dnßt in the eyes of the publio, and a pledge being given that tho Commissioners should under any circumstances draw their pay for three years or some longer period. This may explain some of the provisions of the Bill which, without such an explanation, it is difficult to understand. But if the railways are to pass again into Ministerial management it is certainly desirable that they shonld do so directly and at onco, Ministers assuming the full and direot responsibility, without the interposition of any buffer Commissioners. The oolony will, we are convinced, have reason to regret the change ; but if it is inevitable, the situation must be faced. If there is a Minister of Railways, there can be no noed for Commissioners. Tho Minister may want an Under-Secretary and a General Manager, and possibly a Traffic Manager will also be necessary, but there will be no room in the railway economy for Commiaßionore, unless, as we have already said, it bo to act as buffers, and relieve the Minister of the responsibility which should rest upon him. This brings us to the consideration of whether there is any Minister who could possibly devote to the management of the railways the time and 'attention which they they will undoubtedly demand. We are quite sure there is not. Tbe Portfolio of .Railways will be one of the most onerous in the Ministry. It will absorb the wholo timo and attention of the most capable Minister to whom it may be. entrusted. That it can be held in connection with one or more other portfolios is, we think, impossible. The Minister of Eailways will have to give his whole time and attention to the Department, however capable his subordinate officers may be. I£ be does not do this, the railways will suffer, and the colony cannot afford that they should do so. The expense of a Minister's salary is a very email matter in comparison to any neglect of close supervision by the responsible head of the Department. The Minister for Bailways will have enough to do to look after the railway administration alone. Tho Premier is already terribly overworked with the portfolios he holds. It is absurd to suppose that he could also bear the ateain and responsibility of controlling and administering the railways. The other members of tho Ministry also have their hands quite full, and it would certainly noL be to tbe public advantage that the railways ot the colony should be handed over to the administration of any of them. If the State is to resume charge of the railways, and a Minister is to replace tho Commissioner's, it will be absolutely necessary, if railway interests are to be properly attended to, that the new Portfolio of bail ways should not only be created on paper, but that it shonld be entrusted to a new Minister additional to the number of Ministers now fixed by law. The House will have to sanction the appointment of an additional Minister, or a terrible risk of neglectful management will be incurred. The expense of an additional Minister will be as nothing in comparison to the magnitude of the interests involyed and at stake. The Bailway Department is probably one of the largest in the colony, and none requires closer or more careful supervision by whoever is at its head, whether Commissioner or Minister. Proper provision for personal supervision must be made if the St#,to is to resume control, and this can only bo secured by adding a Minister of Railways as a. distinct individuality to the Cabinet. If the Bill is altered in Committee, as we expect it will be, we trust that provision will be made in it for the appointment of a new Minister, who will be able to devote his whole time and attention to the new Government department. When the railways were formerly under Ministerial management grave inconvenienoe often arose from their being managed by the Minister of Public Works. They will now require a Minister to themselves if the evils of State management are to be reduced to anything like a minimum.

From about two months hence the New Zealand headquarters of the Bank of New South Wales will be in Wellington, Mr. W. G. Ehind, the Inspector, with his staff, removing to this city from ChriEtchurch. The case of Cook & Gray v. Moore occupied some time in the Magistrate's Court yesterday. Cook & Gray, as assignees of Wiekett's estate, sued Moore, of Palmerston North, solioitor, for goods supplied. Moore admitted the debt, but claimed various sets-off, the only one which was disputed being an assignment of a debt from a man named Groves. Mr. Tripp, who appeared for Cook & Gray, contended that, as the assignment of the debt by Groves to Moore was after the date of the deed of assignment by Wickett to Cook & Gray, Moore was not entitled to tho set-off. Mr. Haeelden, for Moore, raieed various defences — among others, that the deed of assignment was void as against Moore, as Groves had not consented to the deed. The case was argued at length, and the S.M. reserved his decision for a week. We have received from tho Seoretary of the New Zealand Institute of Journalists a pamphlet entitled " The Liberty of the Press and the Law of Libel," embodying-the Institute's correspondence with the Government on the question of the libel law, and comments by the press of the oolony upon the Hon. J. M'Kenzie's Newspaper Libel Limitation Bill, besides the Institute's resolution thereupon. The meeting of the Citizens' Institute last evening, when Mr. James Gifford read a paper on " Carlyle and Ruskin on Political Economy " was one of the best attended of the series. The paper was an able one, and in the discussion which followed, the views of the lecturer, adverse to political economy as ordinarily taught, were specially combatted by Mr. P. Levi. Finally the discussion was adjourned. The latest additions to the Telephone Exchange list are as follows : — T. M. Burns, Kent-terrace ; P. Butler, private residenoe, Victoria -terrace, off Brougham-street; A. Given, Brandon-street; A. H. Logan & Co , Featherston - street ; A. D. Eiley, private residence, Williß-street ; T. Eonayne, private residence, Park street ; W. O. Sproule, private residence, Glenbervie-terraoe. The statement of affairs of William Eobt. M'Kinstry, hotelkeeper, haß been filed. His total debts, all of which are unsecurod, amount to .£591 la 9d. The assets are book debts estimated to produce £35 and f urnitore .£ls. The principal creditors are : — T. &W. Young, £300 ; F. P. Bryant, £50 ; Tayton & Erskine, £37 4s 7d ; To Aro Loan Company, £27 5s 6d; Empire Loan Company, £11 ; Castendvk & Focke, £10 168 Id ; Preston & Co., £10 2s ; Cook & Gray £10; Geo. Eosa, £10; J. E. Measenger, £10; Hutt County Counoil, £9 7b Id; 1). Baird, £8 19a ; Crown Brewery, £7 9s ; Baker & Wilkin, £6 ; G. Samuels, £12 • B. Cohen, £6 6s. The bankrupt in his written statement says he started business in April, 1892, as a hotelkeeper at Johnsonville, his capital being £200 of his own money. He paid £620 for the stock, goodwill, and furniture of the Railway Hotel, and carried on business at Johnsonville till February, 1894, when, he was sold up by order of the mortgagees of the furniture — T. G. Macarthy and the trustees for the owners of the hotel. He left the hotel with £24 10s, and he owed T. and W. Young at that time £110. He took the Metropolitan Hotel, Molesworth-street, in March this year, being assisted by friends to the extent of £150. He agreed to give £610 for the stock-in-trade, goodwill, furniture, and license. In addition, he took over Mr. Nankivell's liability to Mr. Young— about £168 — and gave a third bill of sale to T. and W. Young to secure tho £110 and £168. The first mortgagee and the landlord of the premises foreclosed in July. The goodwill and furniture waa sold for £380. He lost abont £10 a week in the hotel, and the mortgagees foreclosed before the timo < allowed for the transfer of a license. Tiie takings and receipts did not come up to within £20 per week of wh«at was represented to him when he took it over. Debtor has a wife and six children. A meeting of creditors is fixed for Tuesday at 11 a.m. The Independpnt Order of Reohabitos celebrated the 28th anniversary of its foundation in this city at a Bocial gathering m the Rechabite Hall last evening. Tho room was crowded, and Bro. R. Meredith, M.H.E., presided The Chairman, in hia address, alluded to the progress made by the Order, and its present high position amongst benefit societies. Dr. Newman, M.H.E , also spoke. Songs were given by Misses Murdoch and Edwards, Mosdames Moore and Anderson, and Mo&srs. H. Bennett, Coltman, Avery, Falkman, and Stott ; instrumental items were contributed by Mrs. Ahradsen, Miss Flyger, and Mr. Thompson ; and readings and recitations by Messrs. J. Edwards and Swallow, and Miss F. Parsonage (the last-named a little dot ot five years), many of the items being re-demanded. Miss Kennaugh presided at the piano. Refreshments wero supplied by Mr. Mawson, and were handed round by members of the women's Court. A vote of thanks was passed to all who had contributed the programme, also to the Chairman and Dr. Newman. At an interval in the proceedings, Bros. A. J. Bennett and J. J. Flyger were presented with handsome P.C.R.s' Certificates by Bro. J. Goer, C.8., on behalf of the Hope of Wellington Tent, No. 1. Nominations for the election of a Councillor for each of the three wards of Melrose Borough are due on the 4th September. Cook Ward ratepayers are reminded of the meeting to be addressed by Mr. W. Hegginbottom at the State School to-night. 1 here will bo a rehearsal of the p> incipal orohestra for the Musical Festival this evening. The works to be rehearsed are "The Spectre's Bride " and Mendelssohn's " Lobgesang " Mr. W. Farquhar Young, the Dnnedin basso, will sing at the Skating Rink on the 10th September, under the auspices of the Irish National Federation. The appearance of Mr. Young, who is one of the finest singers in the colony, and especially excelling in Irish songs, will be looked forward to with much interest, not only by those hailing from the Emerald Isle, but by the music-loving public generally. Experiments upon which G. TV. Wilton, chemist, of Adelaide-road, has been engaged for some time past have eventuated in the production of a new "hand emollient," the ohief virtue of which lies in the fact that it cures chapped hands on the second application. This is proved br largo numbers of testimonials sent to Mr. Wilton by those who have benefitted by the use of the emollient. It is commended as being especially useful to ladies nfter gardening, washing, or rough work of any lind, and to engineers and all other men whose work is uncleanly. Unlike most preparations for the skin, it is warranted to bo quite free from oil or grease, so that it immediately penetrates the pores. Warnock and Adkin advertise tho arriTal of leading fashions in spring millinery and spring dresses. Freeman E. Jackson will sell to-morrow, at Johnsonrille, stock. George Thomas ana Co. will sell to-morrow, fruit. A. G. Tame and Co. will sell to-morrow, oats, painter's stock, &a. Laery and Co. will sell to-morrow, fruit.