Wairarapa Standard Published Tri-weekly, Price 1d. FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 1885. Railway Reform.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XVIII, Issue 1686, 10 April 1885, Page 2

Wairarapa Standard Published Tri-weekly, Price Id. FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 1885. Railway Reform.

A well known colonist, Mr Sanmel Vaile of Auckland, has began a crusade on the question of railway reform, which he is carrying out with idde* faligable spirit and vigor. In a recent address delivered at Wellington, Mr Yaile explained his views in detail. He boldly asserted that the railway scheme had proved a failure, and gave as a reason for this, that the high pas • senger rates practically prohibited the general use of the lines by the poorer classes, and as they were thus used by only about one fourth of the population, it naturally followed that they did not prove profitable. Mr Yaile gave some startling figures in proof of his assertions. “In the North Island,” he said, “ there were 468 miles of railways constructed, and the percentages of interest earned by the several lines was as follows Wellington, 1882, £1 !)a 2d ; 1883, £1 13s lOd ; 1884, £1 d 6d. Wanganui, 1882, £1 10s lOd ; 1883, £1 8s; 1884,10s Id. Taranaki 1882, £1 Us j 1883, £1 3s ; 1884 4s Gd. Napier, 1882, £3 13s 9d ■ 1883, £3 4s Gd ; 1884, £3 IGs 9d! Auckland, 1882, £2 5s Gd ; 1883, £2 6s 5d ; 1884, £2 4s Bd. Kawakawa, 1882, £3 5s 3d ; 1883, 10s 7d ; 1884, 17s 9d. Napier was, in fact, the best paying lino in the colony. The total mileage in both islands was 1896 miles, costing £13,000,000, and (he rate of interest earned was 1881, £3 8s 3d ; 1882, £3 7s 3d ; 1884, £2 18s 2d. Thus, (hero was a idling off in each year, and there was a loss of about 54 per cent. The loss, specified, was as follows : —ln 1881, £180,853 ; ISS2 £207,135 ; ISS3, £262,311 ; 1884, £477,186 ; so that in four years the loss had been more than doubled.” |

These figures arc of a significant and ominous character, According to them the profit from the railway lines is “ growing small by degrees and and beautifully less,,’ and in some instances appears likely to disappear altogether. Mr Valle’s proposed remedy for this evil state of things is to materially lower the passenger rates, so us to make the railway lines open for use by the groat mass of the people. In fact, he contends that tho railways should be distinguished by cheapness of fares and freights, com' fort to passengers and simplicity of management. Mr Yaile then sketched out a tariff for the Wellington-Mas-(erton line, which involved an enormous reduction in the passenger rates. For instance,he proposed that the present of i ts lOd, first class, and 9s lid, second class fares between Wellington and Masterton should be ! reduced to 2s 6d and Is Bd, while he suggested a proportionate reduction ! in tho case of the fares to all tho

oilier stations between Wellington and Masterton. Mr Vaile’s main contention was that by reducing the fares three passengers would be carried for one at present, and that thus with reduced rates the railways could be made profitable. We entirely agree with the principle laid down by Mr Yaile, that if the passenger rates were materially reduced, the railways would be extensively used by the groat body of the people. Nevertheless, we think that Mr Vaiie goes too fast and too far in his proposed reduc* tions. We can hardly, for instance, realise that any present available amount of passenger traffic would make it pay to carry people from Wellington to Masterton for 2s 6d per head first class, and Is 8d second class. Perhaps Mr Vaiie has been misreported on this point, but at all events these are the figures as given in the report of his speech in the Evening Press.

On the subject of differential rating, Mr Vaiie explained that it meant the charging of a different price for performing the same service, in carrying goods, on different lines throughout the country. The railway authorities having that power could build up or destroy a local industry in a particular district as they liked. Eor carrying a ton of goods, Class C, on the Canterbury line for fifty miles, the charge was 22s lid, as against 26s lOd charged for carrying the same class in Wellington. Class D—Canterbury and Otago, 17s 5d ; Wellington, 26s lOd. Class E—Canterbury and Otago, 10s 2d ; Wellington, 12s 9d. Class F—-Canterbury and Otago, 7s 8d ; Wellington, 9s 2d. Another charge against Wellington was the Rimutaka incline, five miles extra freight being added on for carrying goods over the Rimutaka. On this latter point, Mr Booth, of Carterton, remarked that the extra mileage charged for goods crossing the Rimutaka bad cost his firm £475 last year. Mr Vaiie advocated the abolition of the differential rate system and a general reduction of freight rates. We believe that the agitation being carried on by Mr Vaiie will result in a change in the right direction being, sooner or later, effected with respect to passengers rates and freight charges on the railway lines. We do not go the length MrVaile does in his demand for reductions, but there is no doubt much could be done in this direction, with the result that the railways would be far more largely used and give far better returns than they do at present.