NEW ZEALAND RAILWAYS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 27 April 1910, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND RAILWAYS.

IMPORTANT STATEMENT BY MR MILLAR. '' VER Y SAT 1 fcW ACTOUtf.'' [I'KR IUtESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, This Day. Hon. Mr Millar returned this morning by the "Moana" from Australia. Ho was accompanied by Mr McVilly, Chief Clerk of the New Zealand Railways. During his absence Mr Millar travelled 8300 .miles, •an average of 200 miles a day, excluding Sundays. To a "Post" reporter he said one of the principal objects of the trip was to ascertain how the commissioner system of control worked in Australia. He found the Minister had little actual work to do in the details of ■administration. Mr Millar discussed the methods of working, also traffic and ways, detailing accounts with the Commissioners in several of the States. He found that constant complaints of a similar kind had been made in New Zealand. With regard to the shortage of trucks, freights and time tables New Zealand was equally as strong as Austral ia.

Almost every day articles appeared in the press there criticising the management. It was freely admitted in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia the harvests had been so great that tha rolling stock was quite insufficient to eopa with the requirements in a speedy manner. He enquired closely into the question of fares and wages. "Wage spnid on the whole were not to high as those paid in New Zealand, nor were, conditions of employment* so good. Information on which this conclusion was Iwised was obtained from the Commissioners.

Railway experts whom he mot had expressed surprise at the high speed maintained on the narrow srauga railways in this couii'try. Careful comparison of tho times taken by Melbourne-Adelaide express aiid Wellington-Aueidand express showed that, notwithstanding the 3ft Gin gauge here as against sft 3in in the other case, the 'trains maintained almost equal speed. Suburban services out of Melbourne and Sydney were .handled most expediti'ously. The tramway services were of great assistance. Dealing with this traffic, Mr Millar said 'Sydney had 1040 cars on the road last year. Sydney trams returned 6J per cent on the capital outlay. Mr Millar got independent opinion from Mr Fehon, late Railway Commissioner in New South Wales, who visits New Zealand frequently, and discussed the principles on which railways worked here and asked Mr Fehon if he could suggest any improvements. His reply th.it frr»m his experience New_ Zealand railways wern very satisfactorily run. Mr Fehon spent nearly all his lifa as a railway man.

After liii inve.stipwt.ions in Australia Mr Millar said Hie crv .for a sp'wd pxpress from Auckland: to Wellington appeared mrre unreasonable than pve v . • One oppress i>?r between SvrTmev «itkl Mf»ii)mir"e. two towns having β-prrpn-of over a million.