Wairarapa Standard Published Tri-weekly, Price 1d. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1885. Two Railway Lines Contrasted.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XVIII, Issue 1764, 27 November 1885, Page 2

Wairarapa Standard Published Tri-weekly, Price Id. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1885. Two Railway Lines Contrasted.

On a recent occasion we had the pleasure of travelling from Wellington to Plimmerton on the line of the Wellingtou-Manawatu railway Company. The carriages were roomy, well lighted and ventilated, and replete with every comfort and convenience. The train ran with the greatest smoothness, alike uphill, downhill, and on the level parts of the line ; in truth, the whole journey was quite a pleasure, and we returned from it wondering how it was that a public company can construct a railway line and rolling stock admirable in every respect., while a Government contrives to make a line such as that between Wellington and the Wairarapa, which is rough to travel on, possesses uncomfortable, badlyfitted, draughty, leaky, and ill-lighted carriages, and generally is objectionable in almost every possible way. Ii may be said on the whole that the Government have made a very poor job of the construction of this Wellington-Wairarapa line, and that for much less money a company could have made a far better line. Now why should the Government make railways badly at enormous cost, while a company makes them admirably at moderate outlay ? We suppose the reason is that the Government officials do not display the same energy, carefulness and business ability, as the officers employed by a public company. The average Government official gets into a fashion of doing his work in an easy going comfortable way, and does not lake any very overwhelming degree of interest in it, being content so Jong as he can keep his billet and draw his pay. The officers of a company have much more than, this required from them. They are expected to devote all the energy and ability which they possess to their work, and their own prospects depend on that work being done in the host possible way. But besides this, the directors of a company are the very best men of business who can be selected from the groat body of the shareholders, and as such they manage t'o of the comp my in a thoroughly efficient and isa-like way. Such a bodv of laiecioiti take t-i.a U;-j bc-.t materials shall be purchus.-d at their mv/ct market value ; that the best civil engineers and surveyors shall bo engaged for the construction of ’ho line ; and that,generally, the full value j shall be obtained tor whatever money is expended in works and salaries. These directors make a fur bettor controlling body in the making of a railway line than a 'government is usuallv found to be. The Alinistei i C' Public Works, who is the political head of the railway department, may know nothing whatever about rai,'T a } ,s - is completely in the hands of the permdli fin t heads of the departments. These may, or may not be, competent officers. If they are competent, so much the better for the railways ; if they are not, then so much the worse for the railways. But in any ease the permanent officers of a Government never do so good work or achieve so satisfactory results as the officers of a company. This will probably always, to a certaiu extent, be the 0a..0, and we do not exactly see how the thing is t-> be mended.

The Government, however, might do something to imnrove the management of the WelJiogton-Wairarapa railway line. They should provide better constructed carriages—not merely one or two at a time—but a complete and better set all over, both first and second class. Then in the arrangement of trains for the convenience of the public both in Wellington and the Wairarapa, a good deal more could lie done than has hitherto been attempted. Every Sunday hundreds of people leaveJWelliugton for Plimrrferton by the two trains of the company’s line, spend a part of the day there and return home the same night, the fates being very low indeed. The Government line now only rune on, Sundays o S ctone sad the Lower Hint. We see no

reason why the Government should not run a 1 train on Sundays from Wellington to the ] Wairarapa. On this point the Evening Post ; very justly remarks “ iVhy should no! Wellington people, during the summer monihs, i have an opportunity of leaving town after j their week’s work, spending Sunday in one or other of the Wairarapa townships, and being back in Wellington in time for their ordinary business duties on Monday morning. If the railway was managed by any private' company or firm anxious to make it pay, we are quite sure there would be a cheap excursion train every Saturday night or early on Sunday morning through to Masterton, returning early on Monday morning so as to get into town by half past eight or nine o’clock. Such a train would, undoubtedly, pay well, and the receipts of the line would be still further increased if the excursion tickets were made available by tbe ordinary train on Saturday afternoon, and if country residents were enabled to come into town by the early Monday train and return by the ordinary afternoon one. At present it is impossible for any townspeople to visit the Wairarapa, except on holidays, without trenching on their business hours to the extent of at least half a day—a loss which a great many who would like to go there cannot afford.” This suggestion is an excellent one and the railway department would do well to carry it into effect.