INPORTATION OF ROLLING STOCK.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 1812, 15 July 1891, Page 6

INPORTATION OF ROLLING STOCK.

WELLINGTON, July 9. Correspondence of a voluminous and spicy nature, which baa passed between the Minister of Works and the Railway Commissioners in reference to the ordering of four locomotive boilers from England, was laid on the table by the Hon. Mr Seddon to-day. The Commissioners, on being called on in April last for an explanation as to why the i order was not executed in the colony, allege I that " after repeated applications " to obtain from tbe Government sufficient funds to provide auch extra accommodation in the workshops as was necessary, in order to enable the work to be overtaken, they were compelled to write to the Agent-General and have the boilers delivered in the colony at a cost of L 1,980., 980. Moreover, this class of work with the present accommodation had not been proceeding fast enough, and the Commissioners experienced disappointment at the Government's failure to provide moderate means to extend the shops to carry on the necessary maintenance. They urged the Government to place on this year's Estimates a sufficient sum to meet the increasing traffic maintenance. The Minister of Works replied to this communication by inquiring — (1) Could not the boilers in question have been made in the colony, and was any colonial engineering firm asked for a quotation for them ? (2) Was the order that was sent to England for the boilers directed to be entrusted to any particular firm for execution, or were tenders directed to be invited for the work? (3) How many renewal of boilers was under construction in the Addington and Hillside Workshops respectively at the time that the order for the fonr boilers referred to was cent to England ? (4) How many boilermakers have been dismissed from tbe two shops mentioned during the last twelve months ? To this the Commissioners reply pointing ont the absence of any reference to the very pressing question raised by them — viz., as to the intention of the Government as regards providing funds for additions to opened lines to meet the exigencies of the traffic maintenance, though two months had elapsed since attention was first drawn to this matter. As regarded the minor point, although the Commissioners obtained from colonial contractors such work as it was found suitable to get— as, for instance, girder work— they did not think it advisable to get locomotive boilers' work done by tender in the colony in the absence of any intimation from the Government as to their intention to provide the funds required. Prudence demanded that the Commissioners should, from time to time, order further proportions of work from England, as certain duties with regard to the safety of the railways and convenience of the public were imposed on the Commissioners by the Government Railways Act, which they must not neglect. As regarded the practice in the Government offices in London of obtaining supplies, it was usual to invite tenders, and the Agent-General wonld invite tenders for all such work as boilers, locomotives, rails, etc. The Commissioners did not think it necessary to reply to the third and fourth question*. On May 6 the Minister returned to the charge. He explains that the reason that no mention was made in his previous memo, of the matter of providing farther funds for works on opened lines was : that it seemed inadvisable to merge the question of the reason thatindnced theCommisßioners tosend to England for the renewal of boilers, which it appeared to the Minister might have been made in the colony, in the larger question of the improvement of opened lines generally. Aa an answer was required, however, the Commissioners were informed that provi sion would be made in the Public Works Estimates for 1891-92 for works on opened lines to the extent of L 20.000. This larger matter having now been disposed of, the Commissioners were invited to state why they did not think it necessary to reply to queries Nos. 3 and 4 in Minister's memo, of 21st ult , and particularly to the inquiry whether the Minister was to understand from this that the Commissioners refused to famish the Government with information as to the work that was in hand in the railway workshops, and as to the capacity of the workshops, for the work required of them, and also as to the nnmber of employe's engaged therein. In connection with this matter it was pointed out that, to enable the Government to determine to what extent they wonld ask Parliament to accede to the Commissioners' demands, and afterwards to be in a position to justify the vote proposed when the Estimates were under consideration in the House, it was absolutely necessary that fall information on the point raised should be furnished. The Commissioners, under date May 11, aay that tbe larger matter is disposed of. The provision of L 20.000 is stated to be insufficient. Matters of this kind, tbey remark, can only be disposed of by making a proper provision to meet the wants of the public service. The Commissioners are of opinion that there has of late years been a false system pursued with the railways, the sole object being apparently to make as many miles of road as possible, regardless of cost, whether tbe line can be made to pay interest on the capital or even working expenses, while at the same time inadequate provision is made to meet the necessities of an increasing traffic in the more settled parts of the colony. They reiterate the statement tbat they would have preferred to have the work in question done in the colony had proper faciutes existed. They had completed two engines in the Government shops, and had others in hand ; bat it was necessary, in order to enable them to do all the work they required, that more room should be provided, and it was the neglect of the Government to find funds to provide the needful room and appliances, which had obliged them to order the work elsewhere. The Commissioners deny that they had as yet refused to furnish the Government with information as to the work in hand in the railway workshops, nor as to the capacity of the shops, nor aa to the nnmber of employe's engaged therein, nor could it be supposed, having regard to the 7th section of the Government Railways Act, 1887, that the Minister proposes to enter into details of railway management. The Commissioners, in informing tbe Minister that the accommodation at their command was not enough to enable them to perform all the work they desired to do, think they have sufficiently explained the position. In hie next communication (Jnne 19) tbe Minister complains that the Commissioners still omit to answer queries Nos. 3 and 4 contained in his memo, of April 21. He again directed their attention to these queries, and expresses the hope that tht y would see their way to furnish explicit answers to them, or failing that, to Btate tbe reason for refusing a reply, which was invited at their earliest convenience. Exactly a week later the Commissioners reply thanking the Govern* ment for their information that it it proposed to aßk Parliament to vote the L 40.000 required for additions to ooen lines, although until the money is appropriated and due provision made for the various requirements the difficulty can scarcely be regarded as solved. When ten small locomotives were previously built in the oolony at a cost of from 40 to 50 per cent, more than the imported article, of superior build, it took three years to com-

plete the contract ; and as the duty is imposed on the Commissioners of ensuring tbat the railways are maintained in a Btate of safety and efficiency, and that proper economy is exercised, they conld not see their way to deal with the matter satisfactorily other than had been done. The questions 3 and 4 did not appear to be relevant to the subject. Moreover they appeared to be in the nature of a cross-exam-ination, implying a doubt as to the good faith of the Commissioners' previous communications, and tacitly assuming that the Minister occupies the place of a professional railway expert, to whom tbe Commissioners are accountable, and who is to be the judge of the technical work of the department. As the Government Railways Act expressly forbids the exercise of such functions by the Minister, the Commissioners conclude that it would be unnecessary to reply to these questions. In reply, Mr Seddon states that "no intimation that it is proposed to ask Parliament to vote L 40.000 rt quired for additions to opened lines," and lor which the Commissioners express their thanks to the Government, was contained in his memo. This misapprehension ought to be corrected without delay. The Minister denies that he intended to occupy the position of a professional railway expert ; but as he would be in charge of the railway estimates, when under review, it was absolutely necessary that be should be placed in the possession of full information on the subject referred to, bo that he might be in a position to answer any inquiries that might be made by members. He therefore trusted that the Commissioners would no longer hesitate in furnishing the information asked for. On J uly 3 the Commissioners write in even more spirited terms than in the previous correspondence. They regret to find that the Government are still apparently in doubt about asking Parliament for a vote of L 40.000 for additions to the opened lines of railway. On April 11 they informed the Government that they could not accept the responsibility of naming a less sum, and requested that their proposals should be placed before Parliament. Should a leap sum be voted, it would be the duty of the Commissioners to do the best they can with the vote, but with Parliament should reat the responsibility of the refusal. In the matter of the inquiring about locomotive boilers, they were glad of the Minister's assurance that he had no thought of interfering in the technical work of the department. This assurance was all the more gratifying as, in the ' New Zealand Herald ' of May 13 last, he was reported as having declared to the public that he had obtained from another source than the Commissioners reliable information regarding facilities for boiler-making at Addiogton, and that the accommodation complained of as wanting by the Commissioners was there. It might be as well tbat the Minister took an opportunity of correcting that statement, as it left an impression that he had been in communication, directly or indirectly, with employes of tbe Commissioners on departmental matters, a proceeding which might lead to insubordination in the service. The Commissioners were grateful for being afforded another opportunity for giving correct information for Parliament. The proper explanation of their action was this : That in their opinion, not having sufficient conveniences for carrying out the work they required, and having fbiled, after repeated applications, to obtain such funds from the Government as were necessary, they deemed it prudent to order work elsewhere, and they had done what seemed to them to be in the best interests of the colony. The Commissioners would have preferred that the work should be done in the Government shops, and hope tbat Parliament will be pleased to make such provision as will allow of their carrying on in future such work as they desire to do. The concluding chapter of this interesting correspondence intimates that provision should be made for additions to the opened lines to be kept entirely distinct and separate. As regards the reference to a paragraph stated to have been published in the ' New Zealand Herald,' the Minister remarks that the Commissioners would have shown him greater courtesy had they first inquired as to the correctness or otherwise of the report in question. For the impression which that report had left on the minds of the Commissioners he was not responsible ; but as these impressions, whatever they were, were apparently formed on wrong premises, it was not necessary to pursue the matter further. The statement that the sending of the order to England was due to the Com- | missioners having failed, after repeated applications, to obtain from the Government sufficient funds to provide such extra accommodation at the workshops as was necessary ! in order to enable the work to be undertaken, the Minister cannot allow to pass | unnoticed. The order for boilers was I sent to England in July, 1890, and "I can," | says Mr Seddon, "only find two memoranda from the Commissioners, prior to that date, j in which the necessity of providing funds for increased shop accommodation was I urged upon the Government, and in one of these (June 20, 1890) you admit that funds for most of these works were provided by the Minister in* last year's estimates ; but that money had been diverted to alterations to the line at Purakanui Cliff, so that money for the purpose would seem to have been provided once, but improperly expended on some other undertaking. On Ist November, 1890, you wrote to the late Government on the subject, and on 17 eh Febrnary last you drew the attention of the present Government to the matter, but the order was in England before either of these memos. was written ; and, moreover, no opportunity has presented itself to obtain a vote of Parliament for the work since the dates of either of the memoranda referred to." From the above extracts it will be seen that the relationship between the Commissioners and the Minister of Works is not of a friendly nature. The Commissioners show that they are men of backbone, and their conduct in refusing to be dictated to by the Government of the day shows that they mean to administer the railways independent of political influence, July 10 A letter was read to-day from the Railway Commissioners complaining that in the correspondence laid on the table yesterday the Minister of Works had suppressed two ofjbheir letters, which they now forwarded TThe Hon. Mr Seddon read out tbe letters, and contended that they dealt merely with the vote granted for open lines, and had nothing to do with the construction of locomotive boilers. The Com-m-ssioners, he urged, were assuming an oppressive attitude. While he was simply acting on the defensive, Commissioners were not acting with that courtesy that should be extended to a Minister who would be responsible to the House for the Estimates. The Hon. Mr Bbyce said that the point was this: Had the Minister of Works abstracted a certain paper forwarded to him bj» the Commissioners ? The Hon. Mr Seddon admitted tbat he had one letter whioh he put on the table separately from the file of correspondence presented, and the other be had kept back, as it had nothing to do with the order of reference. The Hon. Mr Bbyce was of opinion that a clear breach of privilege bad been comm tted, and gave notice that he would on a future day raise this question of privilege.

July 10

He regarded the matter in a most serum light. ; On the Premier's motion it was unanimously agreed tbat the Commissioners' complaint be returned to them, together with the • Hansard ' report of the explanation just made by the Minister.