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Pahiatua Herald, Volume II, Issue 203, 17 September 1894, Page 2

On Wednesday last the House, by 86 to 27, uncoupled tho New Zealand railways from the Commissioners, and once again we arc to have Stale control. The original bill introduced by Mr Seddon contained a sort of “ in and out ” clause, leaving it optional for the House to move in the direction it pleased. The vesting the railways in the State, and under ministerial control and responsibility, was a foregone conclusion, made apparent immediately after the elections of lasL year. The country was dead against, the management by an irresponsible body of commissioners, and though j a protesting howl was set up by I several chambers of commerce when | Me; ;rs Maxwell and llamuiv wen relieved of their duties, it is doubtful whether these commercial bodies were sincere in their protests. It; was well known that a majority in Parliament was in favor of dispensing! with the Commissioners, and the treatment of the Railway Bill was therefore in accordance with expectations. The railways form a hug.! and important ass< t, and it .is esinntial that th iir management should he under the ' dire.it control of the repres nls I i\es of the p oplo. Management by commissioners has not been tho success pro dieted for it in any of the oolonies j where the experiment has Ivon tried, I and a reversion to State control more ' • it ha result. Our rail ways were built not wholly for th perponr of turning out a successful eommorei il venture . hut mainly to aid in developing the country ’and any system of .-onlr.il that loses sigln »f this fuel will is'.i prove henelici.il H 1 1 ) i en.pl t« with igh b a- open fun rket of th world, ’ r.i. w.pv rale-; uidsl he on a par wiili or slightly below those ruling in t.h sis,, r oolonies. Me can well afford to ! wait for the commercial success of our

railways, for that is inevitable as settlement progresses and population increases, but in the meantime they must be worked with this end in view. The railway tariff wants amending in the direction of aiding our producers. We.have no wish to see any particular industry subsidised at the expense of tin community but would lower the railway rates to the bedrock. In this connection a petition has been presented by Messrs Nelson Bros., Limited, praying for a reduction of rates for the carriage of frozen meat. According to the petition frozen meat can be railed in Australia four or five times the dis tance that can be done in New Zealand for the same money. It is industries of this nature that the shoe pinches and stops from being successful. We quite agree that it u necessary to have a Minister specially to look after the railway department, and it would be a proper course to create another portfolio that of Minister of Railways—so that the whole time and attention of a minister may be devoted to the work. The time is opportune for the motley crowd of critics to burl unsavory epithets at everything and everybody, and to talk loudly and stupidly about polictical patronage and democratic lunacy, but notwithstanding this we incline to the belief that the management of our railways in the future under a democratic Government wil! reach a higher standard than has hitherto been the case.