RAILWAY REFORM.—OPINION OF MR WILLIAM CONYERS.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 7063, 15 January 1885, Page 3

RAILWAY REFORM.— OPINION OF MR WILLIAM CONYERS.

Sir, — I shall esteem it a favor if you will kindly republish the enclosed letter, which appeared in the N.Z. Herald of the 7th iuat. Owing to his well-known position Mr Cony era' opinion is very important. — I am, &c, Samuel Vaile. Sir, — By this day's mail I am in receipt of a letter from Mr William Oonyers, 0.8., who was lately general manag. r of the South Island railways. I shall feel obliged if y«>u •will bo good enough to publish the following extracts : — " I think you would be well received in the South. No one has taken up the question so broadly as you have done, and I feel sure if you get Otago and Canterbury with you the Government must give way to a trial 5 after that I have no fear." Alter speaking of the present position, he gays : — " If something is not done soon, it means ruin to the country, ■which very few Bee." " I agree with Messrs Moody, Stoddart, and Edmonds, in thrir report on your system, and you may use my name to that effect." "In answer to the first query. 1. lam of opinion that the number of passenger fares would be three times the present number — that is, an increase of 20 1 per cent. (I wrote you this before, never having seen their report at the time. ) 2. The average fares, which are now (including season tickets, and probably parcels, dogs, &c), only 2s 3d, could not sink below Is. 3. Three passengers could be can-iod as cheaply a* one. As the trains now run — except on Saturdays —in the South, the carriages are nearly empty, except on that day, as all that possibly c>n, put off their travelling to that day. With your system the traffic would be more equable, so there need be no increase in expense*. The Saturday traurj will show you what cheap fares do, as these are the only days — except excursions — when return tickets^at the ol'< rates are issued." . . . Thus, it will be seen, that 1 have the written testimony of four gentlemen, all thoroughly trained and competent " railway men," who say that the effect of adopting the low scale of fares and system of railway management proposed by myself would be to add at leaat £200,000 to the year's railway revenue. All these gentlemen have held high official positions, and it is not likely they would Bign their names to such a statement if they were not quite sure of their ground. In addition to these there I are others of equal Btanding, who hare examined my plans with care, and agree with the four above-named gentlemen, but for tho present do not wish their names published. You will probably remembar that in April last Mr John Gwynneth, 0. h., wrote, if not in condemnation, at least expressing his disbelief in my proposals. Affeer hearing me at Cambridge, on the Br.h of December, he wrote to the Waikato Times, and among ither thing* said, speaking of my proposed plan : "It is a novel scheme, and contrary to all my preconceived notions of railway rates and tariff ; but it is evidently a well thought out scheme, and with some modification in the way of increasing the rates for long distances (which, in cay opinion, are too low), is well worthy of a trial, and if it only comes up to one half of wha 1 ; Mr "Wile expects of it be will be a, benefa tor to his country." for my own part I have not the slightest doubt that, if the proposed system were put in force, within eighteen months the net increase of revenue from "coaching" alone would be at the rate of at least half a million per annum, while the indirect advantages would be worth at least four times that amount. — I am, &0., Sahubii Vailb, Auckland, January 5, 1885.