THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, MAY 3, 1906.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIX, Issue 8130, 3 May 1906, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, MAY 3, 1906.

There is no doubt that there are very few people in New Zealand who. do not favour State-owned railways. Now and again the principle is adversely oritioised, but the people of New Zealand know, by [actual experience—which is worth a great deal more than any quantity of theory—that State-owned railways should be part of the policy of every country where railways can be profitably run. Sir Joseph Ward, Minister for Railways, contributes an interesting article Jto the Red Funnel Magazine for May. "booking first at the older countries in which State-owned railways are operated," he writes, "we find that Belgium was the first country to give a practical trial of State management, and with eminently satisfactory results. Germany followed, and to-day nearly every Continental country in Europe has its system of State railways, and

tbe polioy adopted ia their management is to use them as a means of providing cheap transport facilities for the manufactures of the country to the seaports or other distributing centres, with a view to placiug the people in the moat favoured position for competing in the world's markets. . . . . Notwithstanding the low rates charged on the German State railways, their average results are better than those shown by English oompanies, while the conditions of employment are more favourable on German than English railways. Similarly satis faotory results of working are shown by State-owned railways in the various European countries, notwithstanding the fact that a comparison of tbe rates of some of the more importa'n countries with those charged by British companies for carriage of similar commodities under similar conditions shows that the State atea are very materially lower than those cf the British companies, and so gratifying has State ownership proved to Continental peoples that the trend of public opinion is in favour of State acquisition of all lines, and the mileage of State railways is being regularly added to by State purchase of private lines." The results of State ownership in our own oountry, where it is not railways, are better keawn, but a few striking facts quoted by Sir Joseph in his article will bear repetition. The New Zealander 'can travel 450 miles first-class and 500 miles second-class on the State-owned railways for the same sum as the Londoner pays for travelling 300 miles on tbe companyowned lines. The Londoner pays 33a for a second-class ticket to Glasgow, a distance of 402 miles, while for the same fare the New Zeajaader c«uj travel 716 miles. The freight charges could not be expected to show the same differences, but enormous concessions have been made to producers and manufacturers during the past few years. Farmers and orchardists have lime, for manuring and the increasing the productiveness of their land, carried free of charge up to 100 miles, and at a merely nominal rate beyond thac distance. Large reductions have been made in the carriage of stock and produce, with a view to encouraging settlement, and direotly the rates have yielded bare interest on the cost of constructing the lines they have been further reduced. This really marks the difference between the State-owned and the company-owned lines; the Stateowned lines are run for use and the company-owned lines for profit, and the difference accounts for the hostility Of gentlemen like Mr Sibley, who wish to exploit the producers and the travelling public in the interest of "property" and "private enterprise."