Wanganui Herald. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1893. TRYING IT ON.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8350, 14 December 1893, Page 2

Wanganui Herald. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1893. TRYING IT ON.

The deputation which waited on the Premier the other dny, demanding that he should either call a summer session of Parliament or issue an Order -in - Council suspending the operation of the " Alcoholic Liquor Sales Control Act, 1803," was introduced by Mr John Duthie, M.H.E. That gentleman was careful to explain to Mr Seddon that while he desired to urge upon the Premier the desirability of holding a summer session of Parliament, he was not a member of the Prohibition party, by whose votes he had been greatly helped to a seat at the late election. Ilia reason for wishing Parliament called together at an early date was to deal with the question of the Railway Commissioners. Just so ! The latter are getting very anxious about the future in view of the new Parliament having been returned to support the present Government, one of whose policy measures is to give Parliament some control over the management of our State railways by placing a responsible Minister in the chair at the llailway Board of Management's meetings. The Commissioners do not fancy having anyone at their secret conclaves who would bo likely to see, for instance, that promotion went by merit and not favour ; that cases of tyrrany wore put a stop to, and that tho public safety and convenience were not sacrificed to outward economy. Lb is no economy to starve the repairs of rolling stock and permanent way until a terrible accident takes place, and yßt this is what is being done in order to keep down tho expenditure. As an instance o£ the danger of such a practice, we may refer to the accident to a cattle truck the other day near Fielding, through the flooring of which the legs of the poor brutes broke. Had their bodies followed,

the train would have been derailed, and the passengers either killed or severely injured. Again, to save the expense of keeping a gorse hedge clipped, the Commissioners are having it grubbed up, and the line left unprotected. If a stray bullock takes his siesta between the metals at that spot, a dreadful accident to a descending train will be the result. Eor these and hundreds of other instances of the Commissioners' shortcomings, we say it is time there was a change, and that a responsible Minister should sit with the Board of Management as its Chairman. Mr Duthie would, no doubt, sooner see the present system remain intact, and the present Commissioners given a further term of office. It is not for us to enquire into his reasons for such a wiflh, but we do not think that they would be far to seek.