Feilding Star, Oroua and Kiwitea Counties' Gazette. MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1914. Local Railways Bill.

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 2464, 5 October 1914, Page 2

Feilding Star, Oroua and Kiwitea Counties' Gazette. MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1914. Local Railways Bill.

It is passing strange the freakish turns and twists party politics make men take. Because the other fellowthinks of a thing first or brings out a new idea —no matter what good it may happen to contain for the common weal—it is immediately condemned by the one-eyed party man. When he shuts the other eye he can see nothing the other fellow holds up for the good of the community. Take the Local Railways Bill as tho latest instance of an outpouring of party ypleen on the part of party politicians. Here we have Mr Leonard Isitt, who has over and over again expressed admiration for Feilding and its district, forgetting, in his party spleen, that the Local Railways Bill, is just the vehicle by means of which our back country's- produce can be brought into town and so brought more quickly to the seaboard than is possible under present conditions. He condemned tho Bill. So did Messsrs Dickson and Payne and Seddon and Veitch and Ward. There are half a dozen city .mon —what know or care these town-dwellers about outback folks who cry .for closer contact with the markets? Mr Hiley wants nearly 3} millions — and feeding lines are not dreamt of in his philosophy. Tbe man in the country has still to provide his own means of getting to the main lines of railways. Hence this Bill, which the Hon. Wm. Fraser, Minister of Public Works, has drafted at the request of local bodies that are willing and anxious to bring the country nearer the town at their own expense, instead of going cap in hand to the Government. Aud such an act of independence was condemned by a dozen party politicians in tho House as introducing the thin end of the wedge of private ownership in railways 1 What greater safeguard of State ownership can there be than control by a local body? Tho latter takes all the risk, whilst the community and the Dominion reap the bonefits. Under the Bill, a raihvay district is constituted on petition. If the Governor thinks fit, he may grant the prayer of the petitioners and have a district proclaimed. A Board is then set up. This Board has powor to borrow on the security of a rate struck over tho land of the district, which has to bo first classified for rat-03 charged according to benefits received, but no land outside a 15----mile radius is allowed to be.rated. The Board manages the railway, and, if necessary, has power to rate the land for any loss. There are no special powers in the Bill as to borrowing, but these are contained in the Local Loans -Act, 1913, and under the Bill the Railway Board i« authorised to take steps to borrow, by way of a vote of the ratepayers] and then get the Government guarantee to the loan. The House will no doubt when the Bill" is in committee, see that power is given to connect up a local railway with the main line— a curious omission from the measure as at present drafted. As its second reading was carried, in spite of strenuous talk, by 27 votes to 12, the Government should certainly see the Bill on to the Statute Book this session. Then the Kimbolton folks will get their chance to make good.