THE RAILWAYS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXV, Issue 13056, 26 April 1910, Page 4

THE RAILWAYS.

The Hon. J. A. Millarls visit to Australia has satisfied him that in two respects the New Zealand railways have a better record than those of Australia. Tho freights and fares are lower in the Dominion, and tho hands are also paid better wages, which is satisfactory for purposes of comparison, though it by no means proves that conditions in New Zealand are, incapable of improvement. To name two instances, broken shifts of drivers frequently cause justifiable dissatisfaction, while the wages paid to the men who do the dangerous work of shunting are little short of a scandal. Every two or three weeks, with unfailing regularity, some shunter gets killed, ajid to ask (hose men to daily and hourly carry their lives in their hands for a paltry 9s a day is not creditable to an allegedly democratic Government. As regards freights, there is room for considerable improvement in the matter of long-distance - haulage rates. In fact, it is not improvement, but abolition, which is wanted in this matter. Apropos, it seems opportune to suggest that the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce should still push its campaign in regard to those rates. The Chamber has had it brought home that it can count on support from various centres, but in order ■ for that support to be effective the protest must he made united and pushed persistently.