VAILE'S STAGE SYSTEM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8608, 2 July 1891, Page 5

VAILE'S STAGE SYSTEM.

MEETING OF AUCKLAND MEMBERS. ' OPINION OF THE RAILWAY COMMISSIONERS. (BY TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Wednesday. A meeting of Auckland members of the House, called together by Mr. Hoes, was held this morning to, consider the question of testing: Mr. Vaile's railway system on the Auckland lines. Mr. T. Thompson (Auckland North) presided. All of the. Auckland members were present except Mr. Sbera, who was unavoidably absent, Mr. R. Thompson (who does not believe in the system), and Mr. Houston. The following resolution was unanimously agreed to, "That, in the opinion of the members present, the railway stage system proposed by Mr. Vaile :should have a trial on the Auckland section of the railways, and that the Bill introduced for this pur- i pose by Mr. Rees receive tho hearty support j of thoso present." A committee comprising Messrs. T. Thompson, Jackson Palmer, W. Kelly, Keen, and Earnshaw, was appointed to canvass members for their support. Mr. j Earnshaw was the only member present who represented a constituency outside of Auckland, and ho attended the meeting because he takes a great interest in Mr. Vaile'a railway scheme. Other Southern members would no doubt have been present had they been invited. Mr. Duncan, of Auckland, was at tho mooting. Shortly after the resolution asking for a trial of Mr. Vaile's scheme was passed, I met one of the Railway Commissioners, who said, in conversation with me:—"A trial of Vailo's system cannot be given till we know what it is. Mr. Vaile has put forward certain vague statements, but nothing at all upon which any opinion can be formed, or any system can bo worked. I understand Mr. Vaile proposes that the Auckland railways should be handed over to his management, and that he proposes to associate with himself one of the present Commissioners. I do not think that any oI the Commissioners would accept such a position. No trial can be given to Mr. Vaile's system till an Act is drawn setting forth what the system is, and the regulations under it which may be put in the hands of every station master. Such an Act must be passed, and these regulations must be drawn up, before the Commissioners can have anything to do with the matter. In such a case Parliament would bj responsible. At present with the very vague information before us, Ministers could not take upon them3olves the responsibility of ordering that a trial should be made, and certainly tho Commissioners could not do so.*' ' '