MANAGEMENT OF RAILWAYS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10495, 19 October 1895, Page 2

MANAGEMENT OF RAILWAYS.

SEVEN YBABS OF NON-POLITICAL

CONTEOI/,

The Australian Field has % lengthy article, reviewing the condition of tho Government railways in New South Wales, in which is set out particulars of the changes effected by Mr E. M. G. Eddy, the chief commissioner. The article concludes with the following summary :—.

If we took the bare statement of figure*, given above, absolutely alone, the b»lanee of evidence is overwhelmingly in favour of the commissioners' system of railway management over that previously existing. The evidence is, however, greaHy strengthened by a number of other important facts. It is always "essential to l ascert&iu exactly how fiuo-ncial results ace arrived at, and the following quotation from the commissioners' supplementary report of this year greatly strengthens the case for tha nonpolitical control of railways :— •;.

From 1562 to 1872, under Ministerial control, no less than ±71.600 was charged to capita! for relaying. All charges of this nature, including the extra cost of, heavier rails and sleepers,, are now debited to working expenses, as well as the cost of numerous works which are properly capital charges. . . ; . When we took office wefound thatsums of money for relaying in previous years, clothing, water,&c, aggregating £47,960, had not been debited to working expanses : thiß amount has been brought into the working expenses for our term of office. It was formerly not the practice for the stores obtained from tlio Government General Stores,, the vahra of postage stamps, and the cost of printing and other work done in the Government Printing Office, to be debited against tho railway accounts. Sewerage rates also were not paid Since we have been in office £91,800 has been paid lor these servi 'ea—arid quite properly be, too—but the general Government expenses have beea relieved to thia extent. _

Formerly it .was the practice to relieve the working expenses of a proportion of the cost of the headqUHrtors staff by debiting it annually to the capital account of new liaes. This has not been done during our term of office.

How shockingly the important matter or! relaying was neglected under political control is indicated by a return which shows that for the 14 years ending 1888 the Government only paid for the relaying of 152 miles of rails. In the seven years only of the commissioners'control no less, than 4*9 miles have been, relaid—and p»id for.

A comparison of the total results of our railways and those of other colonies showsl that; for the year ending Jane 1894 the net profits of toe New Sooth Wales railways were £179,870 greater than those of Victoria, and actually £26,978 'in excess oort r the net earnings of the whole of the other five colonies put together!.

Xo sum up briefly:—Under th« cpmtnissionera* management the New South Wales railways charge more than a-third less rates for carrying produce of all kinds; they yield vastly increased profits with greatly reduced working expenses; they can show much greater efficiency, have a well paid and capable staff:; they are in a firat-class condition of repair; and, above all they promote, sb far 'as the commissioners are permitted, the welfare of the cultivator* of thef soil. This is indeed .a record Mr Eddy may ba proud of.. • ••:.'■■ ■ •

The net profit to the country of aon-politfcal management of the railways and tramways, is contrasted with political rule, may be totalled as follows:— '■'■.■■ >

Accumulated inorease of net profits, •- . ■ ' 1889 to 1895. ... ... £2,792,882 Accumulated decrease-of net profits, ! ■' ■■ 1852 to 1888... ~ _ ZL 193,937

£2^86,819 The officiaUy given figures, therefore, show a balance to the good of three millions. Bali there arc many other itams; which the official returns do not touch upon and which can only ba appioximately estitnated. For instance, tho rates charged in 1893, as compared with the rates charged in 1883, show a sating to tie country residents that year of £300,000. It has noE been aa much in previous years, but ib has beau oven more Brace, and the total economy by reduced rates cannot be much less for the sevea years than ..£1,600,000 j xne value or the railway property has also been greatly improved, probably to the extent 0f... _.. 350,000-, The expenditure now paid oufc of ' ".. working expenses, formerly charged to capital, may fairly be estimated to total during the seven year* of, the commissioners'rale fully ... 300,000 " £2;250,000 These are our own ettimaies, but if "exact information were available they would probably bo found to be very near the mark. It will thte be seen that Mr Eddy and his colleagues "b*ve benefited the country to the extent of five and a-quarter millions in seven yean!