Sir Henry Parkes’ Troubles

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 214, 27 October 1888, Page 3

Sir Henry Parkes’ Troubles

(from our own correspondent.') Sydney, Oct. 17. Nothing can demonstrate more plainly the great change which has taken place in the public es’imate of Sir Henry Parkes than the manner in which his propositions are received. There was a time when we looked upon him as the saviour of the country and thought he could do nothing wrong. Now, however, he can do nothing right. Every new departure is criticised with the most merciless severity, and evidently with a conviction that it ought to be condemned b forp it is tried. In fact. w« are face to face with this curious state of nffairs. Everybody declares that the Park**H Government is the only possible Government. And at the eame time everybody declares that it cannot by any possibility govern right. To such a pitch have we been brought by persistent neglect to redeem election pledges, by the foolish proposition to change the name of the colony, by a multitude of things attempted that were plainly absurd, and of things left undone that were as plainly necessary.

The latest blunder of the Premier—l need hardly say that no ohe takes any account of his colleagues > is the proposition to lease the trams, which has met with one universe’ chorus nf condemnation. At first sight this seems unreasonable. For a long time every body has been declaring that the trams would be better managed by private enterprise, bur he first step to secure this desideratum is bitterly denounced. But I question whether those who talked and wrote so airih about

“private enterprise” had ever seriously counted the cost. The State can at least afford to be liberal. It can set b-fore itself as a definite object the securing of the maximum of comfort and accommodation at a minimum cost. The syndicate must of necessity take a diametrically opposite position. It undertakes the business primarily for profit, and has to look to profit in everything it does. Perhaps, after all, the difference, wide a?* it appears, is more apparent than real. But it is terribiv apparent and it is made particularly so in ths Government proposition, which specifies threepence as the minimum fare, instead of twopence as at present an increase of 50 per cent, right away. It is generally conceded that if the Government themselves were to make such a change as this, the trams would soon cease to be a losing concern. Why then should they hand over to an irresponsible corporation, which presumably has neither a body to be kicked, nor a soul to be sav*»d, a power which they will not exercise themselves. Other great hlots in the scheme are the stipulation that the present line is to be superseded by some other system—that system being quite indefinite and undetermined—and that the successful tenderer is to have undisturbed control of the whole system for for'y-five years—a period of time in which our population may reasonably be expected to be more than doubled, and in which all sorts of unforeseen contingencies may occur. Finally the time chosen was most inopportune. The question of city railway extension, which must seriously affect the profits of the trams, is still unsettled. And, moreover, it is noted that this hastily devised and injudicious invitation to tenderers was issued tbe day before the arrival of Mr Eddy, the gentleman to whom we look for the reform of our rail way management, and who may reasonably be expected to be able to give valuable advice about tramway management also. Some members of the Ministry are known to be such adepts in the devious way of syndicateforming that it is openly declared that the combination which is to accept this “ sporting offer ” was in existence before it was made. Fortunately, however, it is subject to tbe approval of Parliament, and, after such a sweeping and general expression of public opinion, it is hardly likely that that body will show it any quarter,