THE WHANG AREI RAILWAY: REPLY TO "HOORAY FOR VAILE."

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9105, 13 July 1888, Page 3

THE WHANG AREI RAILWAY: REPLY TO "HOORAY FOR VAILE."

; TO THE EDITOR. ; Sib, Your correspondent's letter bears internal evidence that it has been written by someone posted up in the points at issue between myself and the department.: It is probably the production of one of their superior officers, and is a very fair specimen of the gross misrepresentation to which they have always subjected me, instead of , dealing with my arguments, which they are unable to handle. The letter contains the following statements : — Ist. " The • Whangarei system does not pay ; last year it barely covered working expenses." Reply: The following facts will show that this was entirely the fault of the department, and the old system:— For the first twenty weeks of the financial year the old system was working on this line, with the result that not only did it not pay working expenses, but in addition it lost £125 13s 8d; that is to say, its working expenses exceeded the entire revenue by the sum mentioned- This being the desperate state of affairs, they resolved to bring in my system, and I have good reason for believing they did .so with the intention of damning it, and - throwing the blame of the loss on that system. At anyrate it was working for the last 32 weeks of the year, and, not only did it pay working expenses, but it recovered the lost £125 13s Bd, and £80 16s 2d additional, in all £206 9s lOd of

net revenue for 32 weeks, instead of the severe loss which must have ensued had the old system been persisted in. We unfortunately know that none of our lines pay, bufc the Whangarei line is now the only one in the colony that shows steady improvement in the face of increasing commercial depression in the district, and that improvement is due to my system. 2nd statement: "Mr. Vaile's system did not contemplate charging such fares for such journeys as are actually travelled on the Whangarei line." Reply : Certainly; quite true. I should have felt) thoroughly ashamed of myself as a man of business if on this distant line I had fixed fares at. prices that would allow an establishment of three omnibuses and ten horses to successfully compete with me. Had my fares of 6d and 4d been fixed, these omnibuses would have been run off, and a better financial, result obtained. I have stated this before. 3rd statement: This correctly describes how I propose to fix my stages, and then goes on to say that I have now abandoned all this, and propose to make all my stages seven miles each, with a charge of 9d and 6d per stage. Reply ': The statement made is absolutely false and untrue in every particular. I have never proposed to make equal stages of seven miles, nor have I ever proposed to make the stage fares 9d and 6d. "Hooray for Vaile" must have said this with. the deliberatefintention of deceiving the public, for in the early part of his letter he correctly quotes what I wrote, which is " seven or more, miles." The italics are his, not mine; he therefore knew well what he was writing. The reason I wrote " seven or more," is this: My basis of rating being average cost and population, it follows that the stages must be unequal. They would vary from seven miles up to fifty, according to the location of the population. I have no I doubt whatever that this letter and the state-' j ment made by the Minister to the House emanated from the same source, and they are both equally untruthful. I do not mean to accuse the Minister of deliberate untruth, for lam well aware that his knowledge of railway matters is most limited; but his subordinates knew well the nature of the information they were supplying him with. My language may appear strong, but I think we have reached a period in the history of this colony, when men should speak out their convictions fearlessly. For my part, I am tired of seeing my property destroyed in order that certain men may retain place and power. In conclusion : Let} me ask why it is that the department makes such a determined fight against allowing my system to be fairly tried My reply is, because they, know right well that if fares and rates were once made on a fixed, fair, and equitable basis, there would be an end to the differential rating system, and with it an end to the fat salaries for working it. Lefe mo draw attention to the concluding lines of " Hooray for Vaile's" letter. "Let Mr. Vaile be true to himself, and abandon the Kamo redoubt, and defend., the citadel, which is in danger." This is true ; the man who wrote this letter knows that if once they can succeed in £ ett '"S the Railway Commissioners appointed tna country will have no choice between continuing the present system or buying out! these men. Again I say the dangerous Act of last session ought to beat once repealed. It is a standing menace to us.— am, ui Auckland, July 11. ISSS>. Sami* Vails