CORRESPONDENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9358, 8 May 1889, Page 6

CORRESPONDENCE.

OUR RAILWAYS : REPLY TO "DOVER EXPRESS." TO TllK DITCH. Sir, —"Dover Express" wants to know what, in my opinion, is the reason that, while there were 133 applicants for the position of Queensland Railway Commissioner, there was 110 application for a similar pose in this colony, even at a salary of £3000 per annum. Well, my opinion is this, which I wish to state clearly, distinctly, emphatically, —that it never was intituled to import a Commissioner. The wonderful "experts" who were to make our railways a success, had already been discovered in New Zealand. It is my honest, deliberate opinion, that the whole aim, object, aud intention of the Government Railways Act of 18S7 was to provide permanent billets for certain people, to prevent any real reformation in the system of working our railways being carried out, and to throw the control of the trade, commerce, and laud values of the colony into the hands of a certain ring. And such will undoubtedly be its effeofc. 1 am acquainted with a good deal of railway legislation, and 1 have no doubt whatever that the New Zealand Act is the only railway Act in the world that does not contain one clause, one subsection, one line, one word, to protect the public interests. It is impossible to imagine that such a piece of legislation wus intended for the general good. It is simply a disgraceful handing over of all public rights to serve the interests of a few. If allowed to continue in operation its effect will be to build up a few immense fortunes and reduce multitudes to the verge of starvation.—l am, etc., Samuel Yaile. Auckland, May C, 1889.