The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1790, 27 December 1883, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Equal and exact justice to all men, 01 whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. Here shall the Press the People's, rijrhf maintain, VnaxrcA by influence and unbribed by gain. THURSDAY. DEC. 27, 1883. «, The question of railway reform as propounded by Mr V.aile has, we think, placed the position of our railways, and especially our Northern ones, in a somewhat false position. To make more apparent the advantages to be gained by increased traffic under the proposed plan, the alleged decreasing present paying capabilities of the lines have been largely dwelt upon — .no doubt in all good faith— but still wo maintain und uly so. That the net profitsi ts as shown by the regular returns have decreased will, on examination, I be found to be simply a matter of accounts. This view of the case is now, we believe, for the first time publicly advanced, but we make bold to say that the apparent decrease is to a very great extent at least, if not altogether, due to charging to current expenditure moneys which should be debited to capital expenditure on these lines. Take for instance the Auckland-Waikato line, with which our readers are all more or less conversant. Exten- | sions, it is true, have been made out of loans, but the repairs of the line carried out by Government workmen are debited to annual current expenditure. Now how much of this should be fairly so debited? Certainly not the replacement of timber works constructed but a few years, and now unsafe; certainly not the straightening of those lines of hcauty north of Rangiriri ; certainly not the replacement of heavier rails for the light ones, which experience has shown to bo inefficient. ; Yet all these are paid for, not out of loan, but are debited to the annual | current expenditure of the line. i Faulty construction in the first instance is the cause of the apparent falling off in the profits of working the Waikato-Kaipara line, and must continue to do so if works such as the straightening the curves near Pokeno and other works elsewhere are classed under ordinary expenditure. This phaso of the question is one which appears to have escaped the attention of writers on the .subject of railway profits, and is worth, we think, move than the more cursory notice we have now given to it. But in the discussion of a railway tariff scheme which is considered by many, unless in a considerably modified form, inapplicable to a sprasely settled country such as this — and as it stands, too much the nature of an experiment to find favour with a government which, in the working of its railways, has the claim of the public creditor to consider — it is to be hoped the more practical measure of reform so much needed will not be lost sight of. We need a simple and easily understood classification of freight charges, and one in which rates are more fairly adjusted and more in consonance with common sense than at present, or better still have li.-tlc or no classification charging a mileage rate, whether by weight or measurement, allowing a percentage off the rates for manures, agricultural implements, &c, and such other articles as are at present classed at the lowest rate ; we need passenger carriages as comfortable, engines as powerful, and rolling stock generally as extensive, as those in use on Southern lines, and doubtkss a moderate reduction in the rate of fares (made tentatively, so as to test, without risk of serious loss, the capability of combining increase of railway revenue with the convenience of the public) would be beneficial. We need also, as we have pointed out in these columns, a complete change in the running of cattle trains, say twice weekly, apart altogether from the regular passenger trains, with suitably constructed cattle trucks, so that fat stock may be conveyed to the Auckland market without being bruised and injured, as now, by crowding and jolting. These and other matters of detail in the reform of our railway system may, we fear, stand a chance of being shelved in a discussion, which after all is in itself likely to lead, at present at least, to no practical result. What would be more to tho purpose would be to remodel the system of managing control— to leave engineering work to engineers, and to appoint as traffic and general managers business men, and if possible, men of considerable experience in railway business, and to give to district nianagtitft of railways more discretionary powers ill masters of, detail than they have hlthertp 'been accorded. The field of reform, which we have pointed out' is- certainly not a small one,' and should npt l 'J)e| lost sight of in pursuit <>i!lm%£sWtive, but it is to bo iewed, visionary schemes. Afc, any. tfafcej/w&rdiesire to point " ouf;, I and' 1 fhope^'tot

fairly %&atud of receipts and which make our nortliehi railway Hues appear'to lie less" productive than they actually are. Ordinary w^ar and tear may be fait ly * dpbited to current expenditure, but the remedying of faulty construction should as fairly bo ?et down to capital expenditure as is the first construction of the line.

Notwithstanding the comparatively small proportion of the members at a public body which it takes to constitute a quorum, how often may the announcement be rea<l in the newspapers that the usual monthly meeting ot such-and-such a body fell through for want of a quorum? It is a well-known fact that a good percentage ot the meetings of every local or district body which we see reported in the papers are adjourned meetings, the members not having turned up on the day originally fixed for the dispatch of business. Now there is something very objectionable in this style of discharging one's public duties; and local government representatives should bear in mind that if the community which they represent did them the honour to elect them to the position they hold, they did so, we presume, on the understanding that they would embrace the labours of the office as well as ita honours. But an impression exactly the reverse of this seems to possess the minds ot a large number of our local government office-holders. They seem to seek and willingly accept office when a vacancy occurs, but once in, unless they have some particular end to serve, they treat the affairs of their office with indifference, and when the day of meeting arrives, discharge their duties to the ratepayers whom they represent by lighting their pipe with the convening circular, with the muttered consolation " There will be plenty there without me." Now, the man who discharges his duty in this very perfunctory fashion should bear in mind that every other individual member is ju&t as likely as he is to say exactly the same tiling, and thus, in the case of a few being of tiic same mind, the usual result ensues— the meeting lapses for want of a quorum. Now, here is where the injustice and unkindness of the practice lies : Some men come from a considerable distance, at great personal inconvenieuce and, possibly, loss, perhaps in bad weather, over wretched roads, to disclnuge tlieir duty to the public and those who placed them in office. They have some particular matter of district importance to get arranged, and they are anxious to have it disposed of as early as possible. They arrive at the place of meeting, and to their astonishment find no one, with the exception of the overpunctual clerk and the omnipresent reporter condoling with eacli other across the table, and debating as to the possibility of a meeting. Perhaps, after waiting about half-an-hour. another councillor or member arrives on the scene, and is greatly astonished that everybody is not theie before him, though the chances are very great that lie himself only lives a few doors off. O. A. enquiies of Cr. B. if O. C. is coining, or it he has seen him. Perhaps the indispensable C. is strolling about town, having " his own business to attend to." After waiting for some time, the other functionaries not putting in an appearance, the clerk, with a troubled look, announces that "there isn't a quorum," and after fixing a day for the adjourned meeting, they complainingly disperse. Those who are disappointed at one meeting are not likely to come to the next, and so it passes off in the same unsatisfactory way. Members of local bodies should bear in mind that by systi- j matically staying away from the meetings they do not pay a high tribute of respect to their bi other members ; indeed, those who do attend and are disappointed, have every reason to feel aggiieved and indignant, in that their valuable time has, through the apathy and selfishness -of others, been thrown away without any beneficial result, either public or private. It men accept public office, they should be prepared to discharge the duties of tlieir position ; and if they find it inconvenient to do so, they should not veto the business of the body to which they belong by absenting themselves from its meetings, but stand aside and let others have a trial. Again, nnpnnctuality is another feature of our local bodies. If a meeting is fived for seven o'clojk, come about half-an-hour later and you are early enough. This, likewise, is a very unjust and aggravating practice, and should not be so generally indulged iv. Members should always observe the hour, and_ endeavour to come as near to it as possible. By observing this a better .'p.rit will exist, no time will be lost, and the proceedings will be over earlier, and disposed of in a much more satisfactory manner.

Many items of considerable local interest, letter to the editor, &c, &c, are unavoidably crowded out of this issue. We shall endeavour to find room for our correspondents on Saturday.

Professor Herbert performed to a fairly large and moat appreciative audience at Cambridge on Friday night last.

The Canterbury cricketers arrived in Auckland on Monday. The interproviu'jial match will commence to-day.

The enquiry into the circumstances attending the wreck of the Triumph was continued on Saturday and Monday, and was adjourned until to-morrow week.

The Hon. Mr Whitaker returned to Auckland on Chvihtinas Buy from Australia, It is expected that he will deliver an addreHH <m tno subject of the recent annexation and federation conference,

The natives who have been visiting the chief Ng.ilriwi in Hamilton during the week gave two entertainments in LeQueMie'h Hall on Christinas and last night, counting of hakns dancer, etc., which were well patronised.

Mr Langstone, MR.C.V.S , spayed no losh than 200 heifers at Newstead on Monday, the largest numlior ever done in one yard in one day in New Zoaland. Mr Langstone performed his work in a manner which gave the greatest satisfaction to the manager, Mr McNicol, and to a number of other gentlemen who were present.

On Christmas Day the usual religion* services were held at the Anglican and Roman Catholic places of worship all ovei the di»tl'iefc, Midnight fll^N was Gele.brated in tho Roman Catholio ohuroh afc Ctunbiidge. The sacred edifices WQi'G Jill more or less appropriately decorated, and there weie large congregations. There was service at the Wesley.an Church, Hamilton, in tho evening, and Mr Gco. Aldridge delivered a lecture on " The Angel's Hong Prophecy " ill the Oddfellows' Hall, Hamilton

Between thre» and four o'tfesk on Christmas Day a large number of people assembled on the banks of the WaiJcato river, at a spot a short distance above the Hamilton traffic bridge, known as Coates landing, to witness the ceremony of baptism by immersion of a mnnbev of membera belonging to the Rev. Mr Aldridge's congregation, A ppropriate hymns were sung, and suitable prayei'H wave said both before and after the administration of the lite, The spectators weie most orderly, and seemed much interested and impressed with this method of conducting the sacrament of baptism.

A meeting of cricketers was j held at the Criterion Rotal, Gamb.ridge, ou Saturday evening last, to make avi'ango- I ments for the county match, to be played there on Saturday, January sth. The following were chosen to represent Waikafco{r^fessrs Cotton, Collins, Forrest,, I ftF<lulj'i™on, Haimona, Long-; bottom, Pilling, fcfißS, SfcubbH^yand; Wiilson., .Emergencies,: Huni aijtfrptofi--bhig. Wickets will be pitched at 10 o'clock sharp, and luncheon at 2 o'clock. Messrs Cotton, Stubbing "attd l^itzpatrick were ghosen a committee to carry but the'neceE-^ samavraHiS 1 " 0111^ '^ or ' I* 16 contest. ,Jlt was-, also ,agreea 4ft ascgrtain if tho, attendance, of tne^eambn9^s^and r 'CQHI4 i ;6§*Becured 'for'thgJimvtchi "tio* i{ , t} >'U" < .*«' Vl JM { * v " :•

. At the l>i?eakiiii#ii>Jdf the Kirl- t . kitiroa -school fdrlthe^Clhnstmasiholidays^;

Hamilton to tea. f&fter the tables were; withdrawn, the'chuqren sang several pieces? very nicely, and r«3jied with good effect, f The corimcates |<rf[ytttend»hcoi wore pre-t Hented v |p^th"fe > Bcholai l s Hy * Mrii McDonald, of Hamiltont.' Thc^efficieiicy of the children reflects^.the greatest (credit upoiuthe painstaJMig eftortslof Mws St*nton, 'the teacher, 'land caun6t t but^ be gratifying ) to" the cmnmitfeie of the school and 'pleasing to the parents of the children. — [Correspondent,]