OUR RAILWAYS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 100, 29 May 1900, Page 2

OUR RAILWAYS.

SPEECH BY THE ACTING-PREMIER. HEDUCriON CHAKGHS OTHER IMPORTANT PROPOSALS.

[By TiauoiiAi'ir. Riveuton, May 28, The Hon. J. G. Wurd, ActingPremier, delivered a speech here thitevening. After referring to the ser vices of the member for the district (M.r. Gilfedder), the bon, gentleman went on to say:—

I must regret that to-night we are! not favoured with the presence of our leader, the Rt. Hon. Mr. Seddon. As you are aware, he has taken a few weeks of rest—a rest well deserved as that of any other statesman who has ever held sway in the colony. Had he been in New Zealand to-night, lam 1 sure he would have been present with us, and the bulk of the people of the colony will echo the wish that his respite from the arduous duties which he has performed for so many years may be the means of restoring him to full health, and that before long he will again take up the position which he has filled with such marked ability. We are also unable to have with us our old and esteemed friend the Hon. John McKenzie, who has, as you are doubtless aware, been confined to his house for a considerable time by a severe illness. lam sure that had he been able he would have been delighted to have been present with us this evening to do honour to your representative. Mr. McKenzie has the good of bis country at heart, and has been before the public for a great many years. I feel confident that few, if any, people in New Zealand would not most cordially welcome him back to the full restoration of vigorous health, so that he might continue to discharge those special duties for which he has shown such marked aptitude in the land administration of this country. We can only hope that he, also, may soon be his old self again, and 1 deeply regret the enforced absence of both of my worthy and able colleagues. lam sure we are all sorry, also, that the country should be deprived of the experienced and valuable services of my friend the Hon. Mr. Cadman, who, as you know, filled for some years the position of Minister of Railways, which I now occupy, and during that time he displayed administrative abilities of a very high order, and effected a great many improvements in the railway service of the country. I sincerely regret that owing to the state of his health he should have felt it necessary to retire from active participation in political life and from the position which he so worthily filled. In following in the footsteps of one who had so zealously done his duty, I have fully recognised that my task is anything but a light one, and I cin only hope that when the end of my term of administration comes I may have been us successful as he undoubtedly was. Upon my recommendation, my col | leagues have agreed to important iterations being made by me, which I ihall now have the pleasure of announcing. lam satisfied tbat these alteraions will, upoß tbe whole, commend -.hemselves to the favourable consideraioD of the public, and demonstrate the fact that

OCIt RAILWAY IMLICY ij of a progressive character. In g>ing Sbrougb the mass of details t'ut iK.oes sirily attached to a great Stite department such as tbat of our railway?, I have, while aiming at a more liberal policy, been guided by (1) considerations of financial results and (2) by making tbe railways of the groatcst service possible to users of them. 1 im firmly impressed with tho belief hat a policy of concessions in such lirectiocs as I am indicating herein >vill be the means of bringing considerably increased business to the Railway Department. I hive gone in ■he direction of making our railways available to all classes of tho com-

munity at a moderate cost, and I<|uii convinced, after mature delibu-aiiju, •hat tho result of these reductions, chough very large, will in the end bring about greater revenue to tbe D.pirtuaent than existed before these reductions were made in the railways anil post and telegraph departments of this country. I fool sure that lam not >verstating facts when I deel ire that the value of these two depai a;in asset, if i.ot already, will l«-iuri many years bo morn than suflici 'tit. to piy for the wbolo of the present nationul debt of our country. Unlike privately-owned services, thty ate nut owned jost to extract tho last p .inid uf flesh out of their uw-r?, but great consideration is shown in the direction of iiviog back to ownors of thtso great

propertiis all direct return in ll;e sh-ipo of facilities and convi numcf s f mh<:ir use. Tne railway policy of thoj country is a uuito- iu which all cl ist-. s' of the coraiuunity uro d egly coi iwii, und the impartaut pirt pluyeil by the State railways ia our daily life cannot bo over-estimated, and consequently anything that ia done in the direction of improvement in the service, or of giving greater facilities, is of much interest to everyone. I have been engaged in carefully considering in what directions changes could be effectively made bo as to render the railways more useful to colonists, and I have come to the conclusion that it is desirable, in the first instance, to make reductions, chiefly in passenger fares, and improve train services, both for passengers and goods, wherever possible throughout the colony. During the Christinas and Now Year holiday?, namely, 18th December to 2nd January, 323,C89 persons booked iit holiday excursion fares, producing a revenue of .£48,065, au increase of 18,857 passengers and i.'io49 revenue over the previous year. As illustrating iho cheap rates at which passengers are able to travel in Now Zealand, it may be mentioned that 214,942 passengers travelled during the holidays, at tho rate of id per mile travelled. In tho matter of revenue, tho past year is the record yoar of the New Z wland Railway Department, For the year ended 31st March last tho busiuess of the railway increased to a groat extent as compared with the previous year; and when it is considered tho year 1896-7 gave an increase of £103,000 over the ; previous year, 31st March, 1898, [,£89,800 over 1897, and 31at March,

1899, 1898, it makes the results for the year just closed all tha more remarkable, more especially (tell ycu that the concession in tha agricultural produce rates alone last year was equivalent to a bonus of .£44,234 from the .Railway Department to the farming community. During the year neatly 5| millions of patsengera were canittd, an increase of ovor half a million. The parcels traffio developed in a remarkable manner, an increaso of 34,743 parcels having been carried. The timber trade was very brisk, 334,677 tons having been jyrritd, an increase of 24,411 ton*. Thi enormous harvest led toagreatinoreua in the quantity of grain oarriad • 764,033 tons was tha total, givim, an increase of 343,982 tons ofaK tha previous year, or neaily double. Tha year 1890-1 was the record year tot grain prior to the year under miew That year was 235,000 tons below tbe traffic of last year in grain. The merchandise business has also largely increased, which is a good sign, ai Mowing the prosperity of the population u a wl nio, no less than 536,428 torn o( mere! ii u lise having been carried, an increase of 58,500 tons over last yatr. The traffic in minerals amounted to 1,218,698 toDfl, giving the substantial increase of 71,345 tons. The total tonnage carried on the New Zealand railways amounted to 3,127,874 tons, an increase of 503,815 tons over tha previous year. Dealing with the Canterbury grain traffic, I find the quantity carried in Canterbury amounted to 409,882 tons, exceeding that of any previous year by 108,050. In Otago the expansion in the rabbit, " k tihp and butter business has been remarkable, over four million rabkita having been carried, and the traffic in cheese and butter doubled during year. The railway revenue in thi* Ohristchurch district increased £68,617 and in Dunedin £34,450 aa compared with the previous year. Briefly stated, the work done on the New Zealand railways ss compared with the previous prosperous year amounts to an increase of over half a million passengers and over half a million tons cf goods, while tbe revenue from passengers increased » by £39,478, goods by £103,646, and the total revenue by £154,226. Encouraged by the inoreaeing returns from our railways during the past four years, the Government have determined to

CHEAPEN THB COST OF TRANSIT, and it has therefore been reduced to carry out the following alterations Workers' tickets, available by all trains arriving before 8 a.m. at Auckland, Ghristchurcb, Wellington, and Dune, tin, and for return by any train after* 9 o'clock, at a nominal charge of 2s per week. Demands for many years past having been made for sectional ticket*, it has been decided to itsue sectional •ickets, available for twelve months:— Ist class, 150 miles, £25, with 2« p«r mile per annum for each additional utile. Thus for 12s 9d per week a

psrson may travel Ist clats between '• Obiis'church and Dunedin every workng day in the year. To enable tbets •ioke's to be transferred an charge will be imposed. The ordinary * season ticket rates will also be materially reduced. I have decided to redact the fares for ordinary passengers throughout the colony to Id per mil?. I may state that this will then conform 'o the English Parliamentary fare of " ' Id p;r mile. The fares for Ist data passengers will bo at 50 psr cent, idvance on 2nd cla«s rates, which is very larga reduction from the present ' minting scale. Return tickets, in Ihe past have been found to be -.roublesome in consequence of the restrictions, will be completely under the system I have idopt. Return tickets, though available if the public desire to use them, will, to all iutents and purposes, be unnecessary, ns return fares will be the ates of two tingle fares to any station in the colony, so that a person desiring (o travel from Invercargill to Dunedin, „

for instancr, could take out a single • ickofc andrenain in Duuedin six or i.nclvo months or longor and then n.tu.u to It vercargill by taking outiu -■•diiary tingle ticket, nnd ba wou'd J have paid no more than if he had taken out a return ticket in the first in*f?nce. Instead of being restricted, ea ' rurnierly, to a month or tix woeks frr the use of the return ticket, there will • / now, by taking out a single ticket each way, l;e no time limit. This is a v.rf threat ch-.ngo, and it applies to all ■'tutioi.6 in ihe colony. However, while . * -■taking the change, I still p opotte to i he publican opportunity of fakir g >u. re-! urn tickets if ih'-y d-aii* at l>« rut yf double (bo nt w sin l« fares. t rii addition to «tl fr advantag s which this char go will iuvolvp, I may add 'h'ltit h-) inducement which 1 xiated to iransfiir, (»r o'bflrwit-o improperly to t'r-k ii-o •>», >oturn 'iiki-tiwilleeaMto 1 (|!iitc retvguwe, and I feel - Nil. rf tie public will endorse my views, that facilities I'or travelling between •-■hippii'H «nd the principal tbwns ' isSuniiU t.o specially considered, and -• with a view of placing ports and centres on a better footing I have directed the issue of cheap return day tickets, which " will be between Auckland and Onqhunga, return, Ist class Is 6d, 2nd * clas*,ls; Lower Hutt and Welling* ton, Is Gland Is; Ohristchurch and Lyttelton, Is 6d and Is; Dunedin and Port Chalmers, Is 6d aad lo • Invercargill and Bluff, 2s Cd and la U. Apart altogether from the concessions which I have told you will be mad« upon ordinary travelling tickets, there will be specially reduced holiday excursion tickets issued from time to "J time, as circumstances require, through- 1 " out the colony. 1 think it is desirable • to remove the restrictions which have hitherto existed, and which have been fouijd io bo very troublesome to th to « wha£a holidays are limited to a few

weeks, and who have been called on to pay an additional fee for an extension for a couple of weeks. I have decided to abolish this extension fee altogether. For the future holiday excursion tickets in connection with the Prince of Wales' Birthday, Xmas, New Tear, Easter, and the Queen's Birthday holidays will be extended, and be available for return until the fall term has expired without the extra charge. Hitherto it has been the custom to issue " Tourists' tickets " from the Ist November to the 31st March, both for the whole of New Zealand and for each island respectively. These have proved of very little use to people who cannot obtain leave from their avocations during the period to which these tiekets were restricted. In order to remove this disability, and for all classes to have an opportunity of visiting the various attractive portions of the colony, I have decided to remove th<j restrictions altogether so far as any particular period is concerned, and to make these tickets available at any time intending apply for them during the year. I expect, as a result of this concession, that the tourist traffic will rapidly grow. The increased number of travellers will, doubtless, after seeing for themselves what attractions the country offer, spread the information wherever they travel, and this information will, passing from one to another, as a snowball increases as it rolls, gather' fresh grist to our railway mill. With a view to fostering the breeding of horses, a concession will be granted in the case of racehorses returning from race meetings, and hunting horses and polo ponies returning from matches and meetings. The concessions which will be given for these purposes will take the forn: of carrying the animals back free of charge, subject to reasonable conditions. The railway service, as carriers, cannot, of course, take any side so far as the sentimental aspect of horse racjng is concerned. It is the duty of those who patronise and maintain this sport to see that it i?' conducted on proper lines and in a way that will remove any practices, if they exist, which might militate against it. I hope that those who are responsible for the control of racing (a sport which is patronised by eo large a classef the community) will strictly enforce such regulations as to leave no cause for reproach. I take it to be the duty of those who control the State railway* to consider the conditions of the multifarious callings of the people through- .' out the colony who require to use them, and-while giving facilities as seem mosi conducive to the business of the Bail way Department, and seeing the services are efficiently and properly conducted, 1 I am of opinion that the reforms I am indicating will do much to improve th« quality of the horses bred in New Zealand. Recognising that the press, a; s medium through which a vast amount of information is disseminated, and thai we are a great reading community, 1 think that every possible facility should be given to the press of the colony ti obtain from all parts of it, and that special facilities for this pur pose should be provided for reporters tc move about the country. I have therefore decided that ordinary season

tickets, single journey tickets, and return tickets are tp be issued to th< press at quarter rales, and that annual tickets, available over the Government lines for the whole colony, shall be issued at £lO per annum. The time has arrived when the effort should be made to keep better time on - passenger trains, and in order to at tail this obj et it has been determined to limit the work on a number of trains, bo that they may k> ep better time, ~ and, as far as possible, te confined to purely passenger business, and that shunting so tedious to travellers generally may be avoided at intermediate stations. To enable this to be done additional trains will be run whenevei

required. Throughout the eolony all c Suburban trains arriving at centres between the hours of 7 30 and 9 30 a.m., tbosa returning fiomthe centres between the hours of 4 p.m. and 6.30 c p.m., and those leaving the centres , between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturdays t will be made purely passenger trains, t The mail trains between Te Aro and j Napier and the mail trains between , New Plymouth and Palmerston North, ( the expresses between Ohristchurch , and Dunedin and Dunedin andllnve- t cargili, the morning train from Master- | ton to Wellington, and the evening ( train from Wellington to Masterton to ; do no goods shunting en route. i The second-class accommodation 1 throughout the colony will be generally 1 improved, and I have determined to 1 provide second as well as first-class I lavatory accommodation on all trains outside the suburban area. A start has already been made in this direction, and will be vigorously pursued until completed. It is expected that this programme will lead to much new business, in addition to which we have to face the

largely increased business. I may tell yon that, taking the rolling stock as it existed on the 31st March, 1895, as a basis, we still require 20 larga tender engines and 20 large tank engines—a total of 40 engines; 3000 waggons, and 140 cars additional to what we now have in order to cope satisfactorily with oar existing bufciness. I am pleased to be able to announce to you that the necessary steps have been taken _ to increase the rolling stock of our railways. The rapid development of the country, and the consequently eDormous expansion of our traffic, render it imperative that a large additional supply of trucks must be provided without del >y. Our workshops are in this retprct doing all that ia possible, trad, much as I should like to see this class of work kept entirely in the colony, it is impossible, without great dislocation of traffic and ;.n inconvenience to the productrs of the country that the Government would not be warranted in allowing to coLtinue, not to order a portion of our truck supp'y from outside the colony. 1 i addition to this, tenders will be invitod for the manufactute of some trucks ftom piivate shops Within the < 'loLiy. I hope, by adopting this con s-=, to b able by January next to larg».-iy overcome the difficulty tl.a'. has, from t .e great growth of tiaflic, presented itself for some time past. To meet the growing requirements 9! thg traffic, and the mora equitable

use of the rolling stock, it has been decided to pi tee the control of distribution under a Traffic Superintendent in each island, and the district management is to be empowered to confer with settlers and locally to arrange for all possible facilities/ in the districts over which they preside. In connection with the changes that I have herein indicated, the following alterations will be made amongst the chief officers of the Railway Department :—Mr. W, H, Gaw will be traffic superintendent at Dunedin for the South Island, and Mr. Arthur will proceed to Ohristchurch to take up the position of traffic manager there; Mr. A. Grant will be traffic superintendent at Wellington for the North Island ; Mr. T. E. Donne will be traffic manager for Auckland section ; Mr. J. H, Fox will also be appointed to the position of brake engineer in charge of the Westinghouse brake. The Traffic Superintendents will require to meet the General Manager and AssistantGeneral Manager in Wellington every month or two—more frequently if necessary. They, with the District Traffic Managers, will also hold a conference evefy six months. lam deeply impressed with the grave responsibility placed on the shoulders of those entrusted with the administration and carrying on of the service, and the necessity for doing all that is possible I to provide for the conduct of the traffic in the safest and best manner possible. With this important object in view it has been decided on the principal main ; lines of the colony to introduce the 'electric tram staff system for working our trains with safety. This system provides an absolute block system for safe single line working, It is, moreover, imperative that for safe working the points and signals at all stations and junctions through which trains run without stopping should be interlocked, and I have therefore resolved to order this work to be done with the least possible delay. As soon as the Company can carry out the work the Westinghouse automatic brake will be fitted no the whole of our rolling stock. Plans for improved railway carriages for long journeys are in hand, and I hope shortly to equip our express and mail trains with cars having more modern conveniences, and care , will be oaken not to overlook the second-clash passengers in this respect. I have decided to have provided at as eirly i date as possible on all express services throughout the colony separate accommodation for ladies, and, when the traffic warrants it, to adopt a similar system upon other train services.

The time has arrived when I conceive it to be the duty of the country to provide for an effective system of superannuation for the employees ol the railway service. In other countries this has been done and has worked effectively, and I think it is only right that the employees of the New Zealand railway service shall have a complete system of superannuation established. 1 hope, with the co-operation of my colleagues and the members of the Legislature, to be able to place on the statute books at an early date an effective system which will remove a blot I that now exists, and while making the future of members of the service bette: assured, will hold out great 3r induce- j ments to them to remain attached to the Department and to discharge the duties devolving upon them conscientiously and t'j the utmost of their ability. It will be generally recognised that when men have passed middle life, and spent the greater poition of it in tht employ of the .Railway Department, i.liey are generally not well fitted to outer upon a fresh walk in life. I have been giving a great deal of consideration to this important matter, and 1 nope to be able to submit a scheme which will commend itself to the public and give satisfaction to the members of the railway service

For s ;ma time past there has been jontiierable dissatisfaction on the part j! the outdoor staff at the want ot opportunities which they possess ot uecoming stationmasters, and an endeavour has been made to bring the I wages and salaried staffs into accord as to what should be done. I find this Has been a failure, and I have determined to settle the matter by making regulations which will open for the deserving and intelligent wage* men reasonable opportunities of becoming stationmasters. I have also decided to pay stationmasters and other officers (on regular duty in connection with Sunday trains in the suburbs of the big centres) for Sunday duty, as 1 think it only right that men who are constantly required to attend to trains on Sundays snould have some payment for the work.

Agricultural and pastoral associations are important institutions in this colony, and reasonable encouragement should be given by the Railway Department to facilitate the working of th9ir annual shows, and every possible inducement should be beld out to exhibitors of live stock at these shows, and for the future excursion tickets for a few days prior to the date of shows will be issued to exhibitors of live stock to encourage them to provide exhioits and accompany them to shows at the lowest fares which will be av .ilabl« to the public during the currency of the shows. There has in the past been con>4derable complaint as to the difficulty of obtaining tickets at the priucjpal centres, and in regard to the overcrowding at the ticket offices. I am therefore arranging to have tickets sold at the principal centres daily throughout the year on tne day btiuro thuy «ie requited to be used, so thao the ciowd-

ing complained of may be avoided, I his will enable anyone desirous of

travelling on our grains from tne ctiet centres ot the colony to quietly obtain! their tickets the day before he wishes to proceed on his journey. There are, and will continue to be, a number of women who travel alone, or perhaps with their families, and this rtf jiui will bu largely taken advantage of by ihtm, us it will be by men. I am sura it win ti a veiling easier and more pleasa'i m this not unimportant ds ail. I have considered the advisability of providing foot-warmers to be placed at the service of the public, to be used in passenger carriages during tho winter months, and I am disposed to think that the travelling public would not object to pay a small tee for the use of sueh §onvenie»ceSi The

present winter is too far guuo io enable this to be done to meet this season's requirements, but before the following! winter I hope to have the system in full operation. TELEGRAPH OFFICES. I may mention that to give greater facilities to the public the principal telegraph offices throughout the colony, will be continuously open day and night, In the first instance this will be done at Auckland, Napier, Wanganui, Wellington, Ohristchurch, Timaru, Oamaru, Dunedin, and Invercargill. The im- 1 portance of this to people living in places where the telegraph offices will not be open all night may be gathered from the fact that there are very few places in which, should emergency arise, the use of the telegraph office cannot be obtained by anyone desiring it to establish communication with the principal centres, though the place they happen to reside in may not have the office open all night, and therefore the opening of the principal offices all night is important to all other places. I do not, oii the present occasion, intend to discuss any general matters affecting the post and telegraph service beyond the change I have just indicated, but upon some future occasion I intend to publicly review the working of that important department, and 1 trust to be able to suggest some improvements beneficial to its owners—the people of the colony.

A CONTRADICTION. I have noticed that it has been stated by.some journals that I proposed to deliver a speech dealing with the policy of the Government during the coming session. This I have never had any intention of• doing. We are now close up to the meeting of Parliament, and in my opinion the right place for this to be outlined in is in the Governor's Speech at the opening of Parliament. I felt it was due to the public to give them some idea of the important changes I have indicated in the management of our State railways. It is the largest of our State departments,, and: represents more of the public money than any other department. I feel confident, as the result of the changes I have mentioned, which represent concessions to the amount of about £75,000 per annum upon the existing business, that the increase of traffic which will follow will go largely to make up a considerable portion of this at an early date, and before long I expect to find the revenue fully recouped to the extent of the reductions now being made. lam satisfied that the revenue of the railway service can well afford the amount that has been conceded.. The changes are to come into force on the 28th June next. They will be watched with considerable interest, and I hope that my predictions uere concerning the effects which the changes will have upon the revenue will be so far borne out as to warrant .he Government in further reviewing, it an early date, the rates applying to *oods, produce, and timber, with a view ;o giving the public the advantage of still further reductions. It is essentia), nowever, that changes of importance should be well considered, and only made when it is certain that the general revenue of the Department i 3 strong enough to safely warrant it oeiog done.

I feel that I cannot conclude without paying a tribute to employees for the uniform courtesy and attention shown by them generally through the colony. After travelling through various parts of the world, it is no empty jompliment for one to be able to say that our staff is a credit to the colony, .tnd I hope it will not be regarded in any other spirit than which it is intended if I here impress upon them the supreme importance; while discharging their duties faithfully and helping to achieve the best possible results for the great service to which they belong, to endeavour to maintain toe high standard of civility, general courtesy, and attention which now characterises them. I have no hesitation in saying that if those who travel on our railways display ordinary consideration they will find the officers of the service ready to assist them in making their travels through the colony as pleasant and as little irksome as it is possible for them to be,

CONCLUSION. | It now only remains for me to thank you for the warmth and cordiality of the reception that you have extended to me, and for the close attention that you have given to my remarks. My 1 only desire is that the reforms effected will prove to be for the general good of the colony, which I have every hope will prove to be the case. , At the conclusion of his speiech, during which he was frequently interrupted by the applause of the audience, the hon. gentleman was warmly cheered. The meeting closed with a hearty vote of thanks to Mr. Ward and confidence in the Government.