THE SYDNEY MAIL ON OUR RAILWAY POLICY.

Waikato Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 3491, 8 November 1894, Page 6

THE SYDNEY MAIL ON OUR RAILWAY POLICY.

Jy the New Zealand House of Representatives the other day an amendment was made in a Railway Bill then before the House to re-vest the railways in the Crown and restore political control. It is simply the; realisation of ideas that have been gaining ground in the colony for sometime. The origin of the movement may be found io the great strike a few years ago, when the Commissioners; as trustees for the public, took a firni .stand and refused to allow the public lailwaya to be worked as a mean* or iofitrutnent for,' class'tyranny by the boycotting of goods belonging to a firm which the unions wished to punish. The Com* missioners succeeded in defeating t/f .attempt; but they became marke.l men, Since those days the government of the <!Ountiy has past* d i to the hands of wen who are willing if not tager, to yield to the demand:! of labour, ami are leading the country into, unknown and dangerous paths to m-cuw the suppo'it < t the most numerous class. T'lie mi i tenince of a large establishment like that .of the railways in a position of re*por>si"btlity to Ihe community as a wholf, but alsoof in' ependenc*} of diss control,ould cot be tolerated, and heiici the mov<* went to rr-toie political management. There has hern a geneial. expression of admiration for the courage with which Jfew Zealand a few years ago re«)lvc<j to put a curb upon extravagant expenditure and to cease borrowing. The -credit of the colony has naturally been, raiser'. But already there are indication? of a reaction. The colony now stems to be jjiven over to the rule of experiment, and what will be thi; remit no one can yet gay. ! Meanwhile political ra lway management is not a new experiment, but an .old one which has been tried and has oisera 1 lv failed.