Untitled

Timaru Herald, Volume LV, Issue 5523, 27 September 1892, Page 2

The latest attack made by the Government on the Railway Commissioners took place on Saturday morning when tbe House was in Committee on the Railway Estimates, which abow an increaße on those of last year. Asked why that was so, the Minister of Public Works said that be knew nothing about it. On one item (the Napier-Taranaki section) there was an increase of £5000. He said thnt, as far as the traffic was concerned, there waa no reason why there should be an increase, bnt as long as the present position was maintained he wonld not interfere. Tbe Commissioners, be asserted, bad told him that the Government had no right to BBk questions about tho Railway Estimates. A member of tha Opposition said: — " Have you asked the Commissioners to submit their estimates to yon before their being laid before tbe House P" Then the Minister of Lands chimed in with tho remark that ."if the present Government asked the Commissioners for anything there was

perfectly certain to be a direct refusal." He went on to accuse the Commissioners of having endeavoured to keep up the strike quarrel for the purpose of maintaining themselves in. office. Now all that is perfectly untrue. The Government, and especially the Minister of Publio Works, have repeatedly endeavoured to " bosB " and bounce the Railway Oommiasionerß, and the latter have very properly declined to ocenpy any other position than that given them by the Government Railways Act. Bnt they have never forgotten that the railways are the property of the State, and that the Government are entitled to information, if for no other reason than that the finance of the colony demands it. There was no ground for the discreditable attack, and it was obviously made for tbe purpose of creating a bad impression with regard to the Commissioners. We understand that Mr Seddon's Bill for practioally wiping oat the Commissioners will not be carried further than the seoond reading this session ; but it will be introduced ngain next year, and meanwhile it may be regarded as certain that the Government will do all that, they can to injure the Commissioners in the eyes of the community. Snob wretched tactics are beneath contempt, and it is to be hoped that they will entirely fail to create a wish that the railways should be again banded over to the politicians and the wirepullers.