Untitled

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9263, 17 January 1889, Page 4

The transfer of the railways from the Government to a corporation of nominated Commissioners is no doubt an event of the first importance, but it has been deliberately resolved upon by the Parliament of the colony, with the approval of a great majority of the people. True, the idea was to obtain from the home country a Chief Commissioner at the least who should be an expert, for whom the large salary of £2500 a-year was appropriated by Parliament. We have instead at a salary of £1200 a-year, a gentleman entirely inexperienced in railway affairs, but of undoubtedly high character and well known for his energetic and able management of the Survey Department, over which he has hitherto presided. The intention of the Government Kailways Act, passed in 1887, has been in this respect set aside by Ministers, and for this they ought to be, and we trust will be, called upon to make the fullest explanation when Parliament raeots. Meanwhile the appointments have been made,andwithoutr'orestalline the verdict of Parliament we may call attention to the enormous powers with which the Commissioners are endowed, the terms upon which they are appointed, and the position in which the employes will hereafter stand under the Act referred to. The Commissioners, from the moment of their creation, become a corporation with a Common Seal, and possessed of all the railways, rolling-stock, and buildings. They hold office for five years, subject to good behaviour, and can only be suspended by the Governor, acting, of course, on the advice of Ministers, and subject to subsequent approval by the Legislature. They are to manage, work, and maintain the railways already in existence, as well as any hereafter constructed, and the construction of which, after the requisite funds have been appropriated by the Assembly, is to rest in their hands. They have full powers to fix rates, and to arrange the traffic, and to exercise all the powers heretofore vested by the Public Works Acts in the Governor - in - Council or in Ministers. They are to reconstruct, duplicate, or otherwise extend the railways when money is appropriated by Parliament for those purposes, ancl are bound to keep them in repair, acting in all matters on their own responsibility, except in cases of unforeseen emergency when they will require the concurrence of Ministers. They have entire control over the employes of all kinds, may fis their salaries and wages, and appoint or dismiss them subject to certain conditions almost nominal in character. They may issue licenses to sell wines or spirits in refreshment rooms attached to railway stations, and make by-laws for the regulation of these refreshment rooms, as well as for the traffic on the railways generally. In short their powers embrace all those hitherto wielded by the Government, with the important exception—as we understand the Act—that the sum to be expended by the Commissioners will be voted in globo by the Assembly on their own estimates, instead of being appropriated to each officer or class of expenditure as heretofore. The Act is not quite clear on this point. It merely- requires that estimates of each year's requirements shall be sent in by the Commissioners. What is to be done with these estimates, whether they are to bo laid in. detail before the Assembly, or who is to pass them through the House in that case, is not stated. Reference is made in several clauses to expenditure " from sums Appropriated," and we, therefore, infer

that the estimates to be supplied bv the Commissioners will be revised or adopted by Ministers, and by them passed m globo. Any other course will not get rid of theinfluences which the appointment of the Commissioners was intended to overcome. The Commissioners vacate their office by bankruptcy, or if interested in any contracts in connection with the railways, or if they enter upon any other business, 'or are absent for fourteen consecutive days without leave from the Governor. Their salaries ai-e paid without annual appropriation by Parliament, and the Chief Commissioner has powers of independent action when he is opposed to the opinion of the other Commissioners, but he must then report the full particular.? of the difference to the Government for their information. The Chief Commissioner has also a casting as well as a deliberative vote at all meetings. will be seen from this summary how great are the powers of the Commissioners, and how grave the change which is now being made. That change comes into operation as soon as the Government Railways Act of 1887 is proclaimed in force. The Chamber of Commerce is to meet to-day, and apparently resolutions are to be proposed asking that the proclamation be deferred till Parliament has an opportunity of considering the position created by the appointment of Mr. McKerrow instead of the railway expert originally intended. _ The issue is a fair one, but Ministers, in the exercise of the discretion with which they are invested, will probably be found to have committed the country, and that the Act must now in due course be proclaimed, and the great experiment made on which we shall then enter.