As it is my intention to again petition Parliament for a trial of the Stage System of Railway Administration, I respectfully solicit your earnest consideration of what follows.

When fifteen years ago I placed this system before the public, the whole proposal was one of my theory only, and so thoroughly did it traverse the existing policy that perhaps it is not to be wondered at that the then controller of our railways accused me of "great ignorance."

When I proposed to carry passengers from Waikari, in Canterbury, to the Bluff, in Southland, 436 miles, for 18s. 6d. first-class, and 12s. 8d. second-class, instead of the £4 10s. 11d. and £3 0s. 9d. he was charging, he no doubt thought that I did not known what I was talking about. I however had considered my subject well, and time has shown that my calculation was a more than safe one, for during the last eight years people have been carried every day on the Hungarian railways four hundred and fifty-seven (457) miles for three shillings and fourpence (3s. 4d.), or a little over a fourth of my price.

All my main contentions having now been proved, by actual practice, to be sound and profitable, I am in a position to claim to speak with authority on this important subject.

My contention then has been and is this, that by working our railways on the system described in the accompanying paper, we could render our distant interior lands available for small settlers, could practically abolish poverty, could develope a large internal trade, could create numerous local markets for our farmers, could greatly reduce taxation, could add at least £500,000 per annum to the railway revenue, and, in fact, bring about a vast and beneficial social revolution.

These claims are large, and may seem impossible of attainment, but I think I shall be able to show that they can be easily realised.