The Star. MONDAY, JANUARY 7, 1889. The Bailway Commissioners

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6438, 7 January 1889, Page 2

The Star. MONDAY, JANUARY 7, 1889. The Bailway Commissioners

If we are ever going to hear the. names of the Bailway Commissioners, it is high time that they were made public. It is difficult to understand the patience with which the Government's extraordinary dilatoriness in the matter is received by the commercial world. Their conduct in this matter is worse, than in that of the appointment to a judgeship, which, according' to a late statement by a Minister, they refuse to' be " hurried^ into making. "Hurry" is a relative term; what would be lightning, express speed to a leisurely traveller, like a glacier, would not put a 'fast walker oourt r of breath ; but on the whole we do not .think that Government can either be accused, or accuse themselves, of breakneck speed in dealing with either of the above questions. With the judgeship, perhaps, the inconvenience is not so serious. Business goes on, because, although what is wanted is a permanent judge, the temporary stopgap—we apologise to his Honor Judge War4.for , BO.,niißcalling him—has become almost a permanency. Not that such an anomalous position is any better for the Btop'gap* ffiejpountry or theßench. On.the contrary, they all suffer to a smaller- or greater extent. With the Commisaionerships the delay is more harmful. There is a great change of principle involved. Hitherto our railways have been worked by Government simply like any other department. Bed-tapeism, CJonservatism, Centralism, and every other "ism" that strangles the life out of most things in a ' Government office, hare worked their wicked . will . with the - ' • railways. The result, as everybody ' admits, has been anything but satisfactory. But with the Bailway Board a change was to come o'er the spirit of the dream. Business men were to manage the railways on business principles : the old order was to disappear. The delay in beginning the disappearance is haxd'tounderatarid. , Particularly hard is it also to understand why the Chief Commissioner has not been appointed. A certain; salary was fixed for the post in the Houee of Representatives. ' It was t soon dtscoTered that the : .alary would not ■' tempt an English expert. , Then it ought to have been discovered that the man is, after all, , secondary to the system. The Legislature ordered the establishment of a non-political system," under a well-paid official. The well-paid . official cannot be evolved, but the system: can. It is .■ not superior management bo much that is wanted, as management free from political interference. It ought tp be the siroplest thing in the world to appoint a body of Commissioners on the, spot, and shelter them from all the old troubles which have made succes-ful railway management impossible in this Colony. • • •■ -.; ■' ■ . - .»■ ... ■, -•