COMMISSION ORMINISTER?

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 103, 2 May 1924, Page 6

COMMISSION ORMINISTER?

A suggestion has been made that there should be a Royal Commission to report upon the present state of the Railway organisation. VV"e admit that Commissions are

useful at times; but we cannot see that one could be constituted to make a general inquiry into Railway affairs without implying lack o? confidence in the Minister of Railways, the General Manager, and the staff. The Minister has recently completed a tour of New Zealand, made for the express purpose of preparing a Railway policy. He has done what a Commission would have to do, and he has heard much, if not all, that a

Commission would hear. He has heard the requests of • organisations and individuals from one end. 0? Jv Tew Zealand to the other, and ho has also had the advice of his officers upon those requests. In due time Mr. Coates will present a report with policy recommendations. A Commission also would present its report; but there would bd this * difference—the Commission's responsibility would end with the presentation of the report, while ' Mr. Coates will continue in office to direct the policy which he has planned and to accept responsibility for it. It is here, undoubtedly, that the great weakness of Commissions lies. They may recommend many things; but 'they cannot ensvrre that anything is done. Knowledge of this fact sometimes leads Commissions to recommend with less thought than if they could be called upon to put tho recommendations into practice. The Minister can always be called to account if he fails to carry out his own recommendations. The objections we raise do not rule out Commissions completely. The Minister of Railways may consider when he is framing his policy^ that there are points upon which outside advice would be of value; but there is a vast difference between Commissions to decide particular problems and aCommission let loose to investigate everything and frame a Railways policy.