FEDERATION.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume V, Issue 538, 1 September 1897, Page 2

FEDERATION.

The Federalisation of the Railways. By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. Per Press Association. Sydney, August 81.

The secret evidence given by the Railway Commissioners before the Committee of the Federal Convention held in April at Adelaide lias been made public. The late Mr Eddy, Chief Railway Commissioner, of New South Wales, after being informed that the idea of federalisiug the railways was not at present entertained, spoke strongly in favor of an Inter-State Commission. He succinctly stated the difficulties in regard to differential and preferential rates. Replying to a question as to whether there was a difference in the effect between a differential rate when purely local and when it goes to tlm border of another State, Mr Eddy said there might be a difference in effect, hut if it was applicable to everybody in the colony under like conditions, he did not think it could properly be called unjust or unneiglibourly. In forming an Inte-State Commission preferential rales must be absolutely prohibited, and the Commission be free from influence. To see that the spirit of the Convention was carried out the Commission must be of such a nature that it would carry the confidenceof all the States. He thought the Commission would .have to deal with the question somewhat in this spirit—that the main principle to animate the policy of rate-fixing should be that all traffic originating in adjoining States should be carried over the railways of the other States at rates entirely in harmony with the rates applicable to all traffic of a like character for like distances in such States; that is to say. that any traffic originating at any place in an adjoining colony must pay when passing over the lines of another State exactly the same rates as are paid by the people of that State. There ought to be no difference.

Melbourne, August 31. When the Federal Convention meets, Sir George Turner, Premier of Victoria, intends to propose that two committees he appointed, one to deal with finances, the other to classify the various amendments made by the local Legislatures. If this is done, he thinks there will be no necessity for the Convention to last more than a few days. It could then adjourn till February or March to enable the committees to report. The report cf the recent Conference of Railway Commissioners on uniformity of guage shows that the adoption of the Victorian guage of sft 3in would cost £4,250,000, while the adoption of the New South Wales guage of 4ft RJin will cost £2,360,000. The Commissioners

are therefore of opinion that the New Sontli Wales guage should be adopted, having regard to the national aspect of the question. Funds should be Drovided from a loan raised under federal control, and no portion of the cost of unification of gauge should be added to the railway capital.