VAILE'S RAILWAY SYSTEM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 10836, 20 August 1898, Page 5

VAILE'S RAILWAY SYSTEM.

DISCUSSION IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. [BY TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Friday. The Public Petitions Committee of the Council reported on the petition of Mr. Samuel Vaile, relative to the stage railwaysystem, that as a question of policy was involved, the committee had no recommen- j dation to make. Mr. McCullough moved this afternoon, when the Council met, "That the report be referred back to the committee for the purpose of taking- evidence." Mr. McCullough stated that the committee had treated Mr. Vaile with scant courtesy. They had declined to take evidence, and had not even given Mr. Vaile an opportunity of explaining his scheme. The committee said the question was one of: policy, as a justification of their action, but many other important matters had been dealt with by committees, though they were equally questions of policy. Mr. McCullough spoke of the energy and ability with which Mr.'Vaile had for years advocated his scheme, which was one of colonial importance. Mr. Vaile had shown that he had not been actuated by motives of personal gains. Petitions at various times from all parts of the colony had been presented, urging' that a trial should be given to the Vaile system. It was true that a- Parliamentary Committee had investigated the scheme in 1886, but 12 years had gone by since then, and Mr. Vaile was now in possession of much more information, which ho was prepared to place before the committee. It was surely only reasonable that Mr. Vaile should be heard. Besides, when the matter was considered in 1886, the system had hardly issued from the theoretical stage, and since then it had been put into operation in four European countries. This would give additional practical value to the information in possession of Mr. Vaile. Mr. McCullough proceeded to deal at some length with the advantages of the stage system, and concluded by asking the Council to refer tho matter back to the committee, in order that the evidence of Mr. Vaile might be taken. Mr. Bolt said, that in view of the speech which had been called forth from Mr. McCullough, by the action of the committee, tho report need not be regretted, and after the valuable statistics Mr. McCullough had given, further inquiry was hardly necessary. He felt there was much truth in what Mr. Vaile advocated, but though the system might be successful in tluekly populated countries, the probable effect was very doubtful in a sparsely populated country like New Zealand. Personally, as a member of the committee, he was in favour of hearing Mr. Vaile, but the committee thought otherwise. The Minister for Education (Mr. Walker) thought the Public Petitions Committee was not a suitable body to deal with thi question. The system had already been thoroughly explained, both to Parliament and the country, and those who had not already been converted, were not likely to be converted by any report the committee might decide upon. A thorough inquiry, such as Mr. Vaile desired, would be a very costly matter, and would occupy much valuable time. Ho regretted oven to appear in any way discourteous to Mr. Vaile, but Still he felt that it would bo undesirable that the committco should go into the matter in the way desired by Mr. McCullough. ' Mr. Richardson said that if, as had been staled, tho Premier and the Minister for Railways were favourably impressed by the scheme, surely they had had plenty of time to give it a trial." Mr. Richardson criticised the system at some length. Mr. W. "C. Smith said the Railways Committee of tho other House had declined to go into the question, and now an effort was being made to get the Council to take the matter up. Even if they went into it exhaustively, they could only recommend the Government to give the system a trial, whereas the Government knew all about it as it was. On a division being taken, the motion was rejected by 26 to 8.