The Pahiatua Herald. with which is incorporated THE PAHIATUA STAR. Published Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1897. RAILWAY MANAGEMENT.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume V, Issue 589, 31 December 1897, Page 2

The Pahiatua Herald. with which is incorporated THE PAHIATUA STAR. Published Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1897. RAILWAY MANAGEMENT.

There is something radically wrong in the management of our railways, at anyrato in so far sis the Wellington - Woodville line is concerned. Trains are seldom if over punctual, and complaints are loud and frequent at the worso than incompetency manifested. It is, to use a vulgarism, pure Tommy rot to blamo the liimutaka incline and the extraordinary pressure of traflic for the present .scandalous state of affairs. We wonder what would he the position of the general manager of a British railway if such an erratic service were provided as now prevails on the Wellington-Woodville line. Surely it is the essence of competent railway management to foresee the pressure of trallic and to provide np:ans of coping with same ? Why has thic flot Imt.ii done with the Wairarapa line? And dooj not the absence of it go a long to prove that Lhe chief men of llie Department are either negligent or incompetent? The H'iamjy. l has become so groat that wo think it u tjjpo there was an enquiry into our system of railway management. Wo do not blame thb lower grade officials for the present state of differs. On the contrary we think them entitled to the highest commendation for making the best of a had job. From the District Truffic Manager downwards great energy, great zeal baa been displaced.

The fault lies with the higher officials. In their anxiety to show a* better earning power than was shown by the Commissioners Ihey have simply starved our railways, and have allowed the plant and rollingstock to run down, until now there seems to be not enough for the ordinary business of the railway, let alone for any extra pressure of traffic. According to official figures the railway revenue was equal to £8 3s lOd on the capital expenditure, as against under £3 shown by the railway commissioners, but this increased return has been obtained by methods which in a privately owned concern would necessitate the instant dismissal of the chiefs. The whole policy underlying the management of our railways is rotten and it i 3 imperative that there should be a change of some sort. It is not the public interest that is being considered but the desire to show that better returns are to be obtained under Ministerial management than under the rule of Commissioners. When we consider how the railways of New South Wales have been managed by Commissioners we blush for the New Zealand General Manager of Railways. The attitude adopted in regard to the Manawatu railway is another striking illustration of the worse than stupid system of management that now prevails. For the sake of grabbing a few passengers the whole system has been disorganised and as a matter of fact the public are worse served now than if they were given facilities for travelling by the Manawatu trams. We are satisfiec that the present muddled state of affairs calls for strict enquiry, and this enquiry should be confined to the methods of woiking observed in the office of the General Manager. We have seen enough of railway management during the past two weeks to almost make us wish that the Railway Commissioners were once again in power.