HUNGARIAN RAILWAY SYSTEM.

Evening Star, Issue 8406, 6 January 1891, Page 1

HUNGARIAN RAILWAY SYSTEM.

Ik ISS6 a numerously signed petition wu presented to Parliament in favor of «m----sideration being given to the system pro* posed by Mr Vaile for the management of the railways. This wa9 referred to a select committee, who took a great deal cf evidence regarding the practicability and the probable financial results as applied to passenger traffic. The testimony of experts the Committee considered to be unfavorable to the scheme, whilst " the evidence given "in its favor seemed to depend largely " upon speculative estimates of the probable "increase of traffic in certain proportions "over the various distances, *>ud in the "different olasaes." On the other hand, it is admitted that the returns furnished by the department to some extent supported Mr Vailb's contentions. The Committee expressed the opinion that a trial should be given to the system on "an isolated section of our railways," provided that the various lojal bodies in the district to be so served "shall have previously Btruck a rate sufficient" to recoup any loss to the revenue which might be entailed. No action has ever been taken on this; but an agitation has been continuously going on in Auckland, where there is a Railway Reform League, the declared object of which is to endeavor to obtain " such a " rectification of the system of management " as will more effectually knit the country - "producing districts with the centres of "industry and population, and both with " the outlets of trade." For some time the League have been in communication with the Commissioners, and the correspondence was laid on the table of the House last session. It appears that the League have been urging that the recommendation of the Committee of 1886 should be given effect to, and Mr Vaile's system given a trial on the Auckland lines. The Commissioners have objected on various grounds—first, that no particulars of the scheme and proposals were available, Mr Vaile having given only an outline of his plan of passenger fares, whilst " he had intimated to parliamentary "committees that his knowledge of the " goods traffic was not enough for him to " found proper charges and classification " on " ; and, although repeatedly requested by the Minister of Public Works to supply complete details, had failed to do eo. More directly to the point, however, has been the absolute refusal of the League to recommend any local body to give an indemnity against possible loss in accordance with the proviso, which tbe Committee considered indispensable. The latest phase of the question would appear to be a petition to the Governor by the League some time last year for "the introduction of the stage system," which was in due coarse referred to the Railway Commissioners. Their memo, thereupon to the Minister, dated September 12, IS9O, has recently been published as a parliamentary paper. The Commissioners premise that "some erroneous views are held about the system," and they attack at once the strongest point made by tbe advocates of the proposed reform—namely, that it has been adopted in Europe " with marked success upon passenger traffic alone." This is not, they allege, the case. "No such system has been tried anywhere." The zone system introduced in Hungary and Austria is essentially different, since according to reports thereupon "the Hungarian State railways re"garded as the principal object of their " reform to draw as many people as possible " to the capital in the first place, and to the " largertowns." This objectthey point out is quite opposed to Mr Vaile's views, and they quote from a letter of bis own to the 'New Zealand Herald,' wherein he expresses the opinion that the Hungarian and Austrian systems are faulty and defective, and that but very small financial improvement can be expected from them. "Those persons, " therefore, who are supporting Mr Vaile's "stage system, under the idea that it is "the same as the European rone system, " labor under a very material error." The zone system itself, they add, does not confer any special advantage ; while it has serious disadvantages. "Its introduction "in Europe has been accompanied with " great reductions in fares; and it is this " reduction which has attracted public attention, and not the ticket system." In respect to the low fares they remark that in a country like Hungary, with about 17,000,000 of people on about the same area as New Zealand, and where the work id g classes do not earn probably more than a third or fourth of what they do in this country, and where the expenses of working are therefore much lower, " the conditions are so essentially " different that fares which it may pay to "have there would result in heavy losses " here. But even with such a dense popu- " lation and low wages, neither the Hun"garians nor Austrians have attempted " such low fares as Mr Vaile has proposed." The zone system is very fully described in an interesting article from 'The Railway Press' (an American newspaper), which was published in February last year by our morning contemporary. The new passenger rates in Hungary, which came into effect on August 1, 1889, are comprised in two distinct tariffs—a " zone " tariff for the longer distances, and what may be called a "vicinity" tariff for local travel. Under the latter, two tickets only are issued—tickets to the next station, which are sold at the uniform prices, whatever the distance, of 10, 15, and 30 kreutzers each for the three classes (the kreutzer has the value of nearly one farthing English), and tickets to the second station, also irrespective of distance, at* 15, li'2, and 40 kreutzers. There are on the lines stopping places other than the regular stations ; but the ticket for the next station is good for the whole distance and for all halting places between, while a ticket for a second station is good for all stopping places short of the third regular station. The " zone " tariff for longer distances gives only fourteen rates of all possible distances by ordinary and express trains. In the first zone are included all stations within 25 kilometres (15r, miles) of the place of departure, for which the rates are 50, 40, and 25 kreutzers. Each following zone, up to and including the eleventh, adds 15 kilometres (9i miles) to the distance, and 50, 40, or 25 kreutzers to the fare, according to the class. For the twelfth zone, from the 110 th mile to the 124 th mile inclusive, the fare is the same as before; but the thirteenth zone shows a similar addition to distance, bnt greater addition to fares—loo krentzers for first class, and 50 for both second and third. " But the four " teenth zone is the most startling feature " of the whole system, for if you travel more " than 225 kilometres (140 miles), which is "the extreme of the thirteenth zone, you "are charged 100 kreutzers for the first " class, and 50 kreutzers for the second and "third classes, for any distance from a "single kilometre up to the greatest on " which it is possible to travel on the Hun"garian State railroads, on which routes " several hundred miles long can be made." Thus in Hungary the greatest distance for which the traveller is charged is 141 miles, and for this or any greater distance the fare is 800 kreutzers (16s 8d) first class, 580 (10s sd) second, 400 (6s 8d) third by ordinary trains; and 960 kreutzers (20a), 700 (14s 7d), and 480 (10s) by express. There is one peeuliar limitation, If a journey is made through Buda-Pesth (the Hungarian capital) charges are made for two aonss, one

on each side of the city. Presuming the distance to be 600 kilometres (300 on one side and 300 on the other of the city), the traveller, instead of paying fora ticket for the fourteenth zone—which is good for any distance—has to pay for two such tickets. The object, no doubt, is to make it cheaper to go to Buda-Peath than to places in adjoining countries— e.g., Vienna. The city is so centrally situated in respect to the railway system that the only way to get from the lines en one side to those on the other side is through it. With tho introduction of the new tariff all the old reduced tariffs, such as all-round trip, mileage, and computation tickets, were abolished, with the single exception that "next station" and " second station " tickets are ■old in books of thirty and fifty at a reduction of 5 and 10 per cent.; and a reduction of 50 per cent, is made on the fares of agricultural laborers and others travelling in search of work.

We must defer remarks upon the possible applicability of this B.ystem to New Zealand, and comparison with that proposed by Mr Vaile, to a future opportunity.