The Railway Bill.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XIX, Issue 6048, 13 September 1894, Page 4

The Railway Bill.

f (BY TELEOKAPH.) (FROM OCR OWS CORRESPONDENT.! Wellington, September 12. I The went into Committee on this | measure file afrurnoou sitting. _ j I- On clause I. Mr Button wished a discnssiori of the j>rinctj»i»-t>f the Bill, and, in order to erca'-le tliem t- ' have this, Sir R- St'iut moved fhat the Chairman leave the chair, f Mr Button went on to express approval of a Minister having a seat on the Railway ' Board, bat he objected to his having a casting vote, and also to the method proposed for dealing with the suspension of theCommissioa*irs. The clause was carried. Oil clause 2, dealing with a Minister of RaQways being appointed, Mr O. W. Russell asked if this was to be merely a new portfolio, or whether the Government intended to have one of the present Ministry appointed. The Premier replied that, if there was to be an increase in the number of Ministers, the proposal would have to be brought down in a separate Bill. He could say that at present Ministers had not much work to do daring the session. The Minister of Railways ought to be continually travelling about seeing the employees, producers, and the users of the rail ways. He might add that he himself had no desire for the position of Minister of Railways, but he did desire to see the railways managed more in the interests of the people than they had hitherto been. Mr Thompson wished to know whether there would be two or three Commissioners along with the Minister. The Premier said that the question was premature, as they might have no Commissioners at all. The clause was carried. On clause 3, giving the Minister for Railways the status of a Commissioner, Mr Pinkerton moved an amendment to vest the railways in the Queen and give full control to the Ministry. Mr G. W. Russell asked the Premier to define the attitude of the Government towards the amendment. Mr Crowther said that the Government should get Mr Vaile returned to the House and make him Railway Minister. Mr Seddon pointed out that the last speaker should be called to the Legislative Council, and made Minister of Railways. He added that the Government supporters were at perfect liberty to vote as they wished on the amendment, irrespective of party. As the Bill was drafted it proposed that Commissioners could be abolished. The Hon. J. M'Kenzie said that Ministers and members were continually receiving letters complaining of the mismanagement of the railways. Mr Bell said that it would be impossibe to please everybody, and a heavenborn Railway Commissioner would not do it. Mr Allan opposed the amendment. The Hon. Major Steward spoke in favor of the amendment. A division resulted : for, 32 ; against, 25. Mr G. W. Russell proposed that progress should be reported, in order to give members an opportunity to draw up a scheme for classification of railway servants. The Premier said that the last speaker had not been far-sighted enough, as Mr Buick, though not in favor of political control, had already an amendment ready dealing with the matter spoken of by Mr G. VV. Russell. Subsequently Mr Russell withdrew his motion. A division on the question that the clause as amended be a clause of the Bill resulted: for, 36 - against, 24. The clause was added to the Bill. Clause 4 to 15 (inclusive) were struck out. Clause 16—Board of Appeal. The Premier moved "Tha t " the Minister or some officer of the railway service snail be Chairman," be inserted. The Hon. Major Steward thought the Beard should be a judicial one. Mr Tanner thought the Chairman should not be connected with the railways. Sir R. Stout moved "That some District Judge or Stipendiary Magistrate, appointed by the Government, shall be Chairman of the Board." He thought Minister should not be on the Board. The Premier accepted this amendment. Mr Allan moved that there should only be one Appeal Board, instead of two. as proposed by the Bill. This was lost on the voices. Sir R. Stout's amendment was carried on the voices. Mr J. W. Kelly moved a new clause, providing that the railway servants should have a week's holiday, to be taken at one time. The Premier said this was a matter for the regulations. Mr Kelly asked if the Premier would give his word that it would be included in the regulations. He would in that case not press his amendment. The clause was slightly altered and was agreed to. Sir R. Stout moved that a proviso should be added to the effect that the clause shall not apply to cases where leave was of a longer duration. This was agreed to. Mr Pirani moved a new clause to the effect that the Ministry should have the power to enforce a trial of the Vaile system. This was negatived on the voices. Mr Morrison moved a new clause to the effect that managers should be appointed, one for the South Island and one for the North. He was willing to accept an alteration that a manager should be appointed for the traffic, and one for the locomotive department. After some discussion the clause was withdrawn. Mr Buick moved a clause providing for the classification of the railway servants. The Premier said that he would not accept this amendment, but he would consider the matter, and when the Bill was recommitted he would be able to tell the House whether such a scheme would be practicable or not. Mr G. W". Russell moved a new clause providing that the freight tariff may be susKided when a transaction amounted to 00. such suspension to be notified in the New Zealand Gazette. " Dr Newman said that this was an outrageous proposal. Mr Willis thought that there were several cases in which such a clause would be useful. Mr Buchanan said that there would be no end to corruption if such a principle was introduced. Sir R. Stout said that Railway Companies in the United States and Great Britain were prohibited by law from suspending freights. Mr Seddon said that the principle might prove mischievous, and, therefore, he could not accept it. Subsequently this amendment was withdrawn, and the Bill was then reported. The division on the Railways Bill, which decided for a return to State control was 85 follows, the .ayes being, of course, those " in favor of retaining management by the Commissioners, and the noes those for a return to State control:— Ayes, 25. Noes, 32. Allen Carnell Bell Crowther 'Buchanan Duncan Buddo Earnshaw Buick Hall Coliin3 Heke Fraser Hogg FlatnaQ Hutchison, W. Graham Joyce - Harris Kelly, J. W.

Hutchison, G. Kelly, W. Mackenzie, T. La wry Maslin M Gowan Massey M'Kenzie, J. M'Guire M'Kenzie, R. M 'Lachlan Mills M'Nab , Morrison Meredith Newman Mitchelson O'Regan Montgomery O'Rorke Saunders Parata Smith, C. J. Pinkerton Te Ao Pirani Thompson Reeves Wilso.-i Russel, G. W. Seddon Smith, E. M. Steward Stout Tanner Ward Willis Paibs. Russell, Capt. Cadman Lang Duthie Green Larnach Button Carroll Carncross Stevens Hall-Jones Mackintosh