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Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 5 October 1880, Page 2

The rumors of impending revolutionary changes in the railway department which have been rife since the publication of the Civil Service and Railway Commissions' reports have at length received soma confirmation. Commissioners Conyera and Laws.-n are to be deposed—or, rather, are to retire, ca compensation, and Messrs. Maxwell and Hannoy are to reign in their stead. But the change & not one of men only—it is also one of positives. Mr. Maxygll, who for some time acted as assistant to thelJogineer-in-Chief of the North will be the head of the department, under the title of General Manager, and Mr. Hannay, now of the Timaru.Oaraara section, will be Assistant General Manager. Mr. MaxweH is known to but few of the public, even by naniP; but ore understand that he' has afforded some evidences of his ability to fill- the position to w&tch' he' has : been elected. T Yty are far with Mr, Hannay,Tbr whom, as a man &p4 $n official, zeem pyfiiyonfi has a gijgd

word. We felt sure that Mr. Hannay's knowledge and attention to his duties •would earn for him promotion; and we are pleased to find that the Government has, at least in one instance, ; acknowledged merit in a befitting manner. As an administrator of the affairs'of railways, we believe that Mr. Hannay has not his equal in the Col-ny, and it is likely, that whilst he will the sole supervision of departmental and traffic business, Mr. Maxwell will control the locomotive department, and see that the rolling stock and lines are maintained efficiently. We are not vet in a position to offer an opinion as- to the .the-change...... Mr.< Conyers must have acquired a knowledge of how to work the railways " after an official term of so many years which will not be readily learned-: by his successor, whatever may be his, other qualifications. But, if the change just made will only tend t9 the removal of the department further from political influences) we believe the barrier to the success of our railway system will be broken down. Mr. Conyers afld Mtv . Lawson. have been' made a convenience 'of by Ministers. They have been driven to the performance of certain things which have now been used against them, and have ended in tbeji'" dismissal, . May the new managers be more fortunate.