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New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 7923, 15 April 1887, Page 4

The New, South Wales Government appeared determined to introduce further reforms in the several administrative departments of the State. Whatever may be the weak points in their policy the work of retrenchment must be recognised as the distinguishing feature of the recently appointed Parkes Ministry. New brooms, it is said, sweep clean, and it may be expected by some that, after cleaning the Augean stables, the zeal of the present Administration will soon have consumed itself and cleared the way for a relapse to the old state of things. That, it must be admitted, is the usual history of administrative reforms, for, the necessity for retrenchment having disappeared, the public eye becomes less watchful, and abuses then increase unnoticed. The Parkes Government, however, seem resolved that, in this instance, history shall not repeat itself, and that, as far as possible, permanent arrangements for securing - an economic public service shall be adopted. Out of the £450,000 reduction which they made in the Appropriation Bill, the item of £69,000 represented the saving effected in the Public Works Department alone. This is the amount which, after careful examination by non-political experts, it was found could be deducted from the previous expenditure on this branch of the service without impairing its efficiency or inflicting hardship on the officials. The Government certainly manifested commendable prudence, as well as honesty of purpose, by entrusting the investigation to experienced business men outside the House; because they thus destroyed the possibility of their being charged with party motives, and at the same time ensured public confidence. No opposition could reasonably be offered to the recommendation of a Board of Inquiry so constituted ; and the consequence was that the large reduction shown to be practicable was cordially welcomed as indicating the process by which an enormous deficit in the revenue could very soon be covered. And, having thus seen the beneficial results of adopting so impartial and business-like a course of action, the Parkes Ministry have now made up their mind that the principle then proceeded on shall be permanently applied to the most important section of the public works, namely, the control and regulation of the railways. As will be seen from a telegram this morning a Railway Management Bill has been introduced and read a first time, providing for the appointment of a Board of three Commissioners, who are to be empowered to make all appoinments in the Railway Department. In taking this step the New South Wales Government may be said to be only following the example set them by Victoria, and it is well known that, during his recent visit to Melbourne, Sir H. Parkes made full inquiry into the working of the new system of railway management there in vogue. They thus had the experience of the neighbouring colony to go upon. But, while this was valuable as a guide, the necessity for a thorough change in their railway management had been made apparent by the bitter experience of its working which the New South Wales legislators had themselves passed through. Not oniy had that been

extravagantly conducted, as it had been ii in Victoria and as it has been in New II Zealand, but, in their case, the freights 11 had been so dexterously manipulated I that the revenue had systematically been 5 defrauded to a large extent. This B state of things, due in a great degree iff to inefficient organisation, will be ol>- if viated under the new management 1 proposed. Tt is wisely provided that ® the Commissioners shall hold office' m during good behaviour ; and this, while il it removes the office from the political S control of the Ministry of the day, B supplies a strong inducement to the B holders of it to exercise the utmost ft vigilance and economy in the discharge S of their public functions. 0 ® The chief interest which this action 111 on the part of the New South Wales » Government has for us in New Zealand ill consists in the contrast it presents to 1% the conduct of our own Administration. gS When the present Ministry took Iff] office, the placing of the railway «N| management under non-political Boards IS was one of the matters which were to 18 secure their immediate attention. Ab- •!!. solutely nothing has been done, how. !$! ever, though the impression has been l-fl growing that the management is the 11 opposite of satisfactory, and that the p| revenue which ought to be derived from 11! the railways is far from what might be fH easily realised. . And the fact is that ft nothing will be done until the people 'ij demand that the management shall be ''M altogether taken out of the hands of ' ] the Ministry, and committed to men ' S who really know what is their duty in It! connection therewith, who are not de- m pendent on interested officials, and who fjfj possess authority to effect the admiuis- £f| trative reforms in this department Si which are imperatively called for. If V' : the Ministry are really in earnest over :§f this matter let them at once take a 1p hint from the fearless action of the llf New South Wales Government, and p begin by appointing a number of busi- & ness men to examine into the working if of the , whole of our railway system, 11 and ascertain what reduction in the iff expense of working it can be effected, S without inflicting hardship on the |§t officials, as well as the means by which Iff the revenue derived therefrom may be Sp increased. Until this is done no im- |1 provement need be expected in this if department, nor the work of retrench- iff ment in any direction be so much as p| entered upon. M It is pleasing to learn from the report of liS Mr. B. A. Tole, Crown Lands Commis- " |K sioner, that the Herekino settlement is [ '.j sioner, that the Herekino settlement is • in a fairly thriving condition. By in. || structions from the Minister of Lands fff Mr. Tole made a special visit of inspec- [ 8 tion to the above settlement to ascertain t'i the real state of affairs, and, if possible, I J set at rest the disquieting rumours as to [ ® the prospects of ; success of the village j,.experiment in that quarter. He person- flf ally interviewed all the families settled |fl on the block, and the substance of what he ||l| observed will be found in another column. |JS From that it will be seen that, with two !f| exceptions, they all expressed themselves M| j satisfied with the arrangements which had l|| ' been made for their comfort and employ- *;i itent. The only grievance they had to j§§| complain of was the difficulty and uncer- fe|| tainty of obtaining provisions at reason- pi able prices. The seriousness of this Ml complaint was promptly recognised by isf| Mr. Tole, and steps for the remedying |§|f thereof were judiciously recommended. Ijl The alternative courses suggested were lifts those of the Government establishing a Ml store in some central position in the settle- pi ment, or employing a steamer to make itf periodical trips to supply the wants of the I 1 settlers, and leave the ultimate establish- M ment of stores to private enterprise. It Vi will be seen that the latter of these plans j>M has been meantime adopted by the Govern- [ "if ment; and it is believed that this, with ! $ the facilities now being provided by the ||| formation of roads, will contribute to | making the village settlement in this dis- fig trict a marked success. With such a re- S suit all parties will be gratified; for, Ifl whatever political differences people may , ||| have, they must all unite in cordially • I wishing to see the waste lands of the- [' ! -l colony profitably occupied. |S