In October, 1927, the New Zealand Government Railways added another link to their publicity chain by appointing the New Zealand Government Mail Agents on ocean liners, to be also Railway Passenger Agents.

These Agents were assembled at Wellinton, and given tuition in railway matters, more particularly in regard to the handling of tourist traffic.

Then they were sent on a tour of New Zealand to gain first-hand knowledge of the tourist resorts, and the class of accommodation provided by the various hotels.

How these Passenger Agents do their work is interestingly told by Mr. Cummins, in the following brief review.

(By W. W. Cummins.)

The system adopted by the writer, both on the northward trip to Suva, Honolulu, Victoria, and Vancouver, and on the southward trip to New Zealand, is as follows:—

Going north I make it a point to advertise New Zealand to those passengers who have not made a tour to our Dominion. Suitable literature is distributed to them, not only for their own use, but to take to their Homeland, where they will spread the information among the people with whom they associate.

Coming south, the advertising has to be energetically pursued because these are the passengers outward bound upon holiday bent, and some have made no definite decision as to route. On my ship, twenty minute lecturettes are given in the first and second saloon, upon the attractions of the North Island.

The following night the same procedure is adopted with the South Island. Thus every point of interest, from Russell to Stewart Island, is explained.

The amount of travelling by railway, boat, and motor, is also given.

The above lecturettes are attended by those Canadian and American passengers who intend landing at Honolulu; and a further course of lectures is given between Honolulu and Suva.

Three nights a week the Agent is in attendance in the first saloon, from 7.30 p.m., to 8.30 p.m., for the purpose of giving information and mapping out itineraries. On alternate nights, at the same hours, he attends for the same purpose in the second saloon. Third class passengers are invited to make special appointments.

The lecturettes create great interest regarding New Zealand. Many and varied are the questions answered, and then the real work of preparing the itineraries commences.

The itineraries are made out in duplicate, one copy for the passenger, and the other is held to be handed to the Railway Passenger Agent at the port of arrival.

The passengers booked for Australia are encouraged to make a break in their journey at New Zealand, and so far the results in this direction have been excellent.

There is, however, another aspect of this work, which does not show immediate results; that is the publicity value of the information given to the passengers. This information is in many cases carried away by them to distant lands, and thus additional tourist traffic is encouraged.

It is interesting to note the varied class of information sought by passengers. For example:

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1. A professor of forestry explained to me for two hours one evening, the whole of our forestry policy, and the various kinds of trees to be seen in New Zealand. Fortunately, I noted his profession in the list of passengers given in the daily newspaper. I immediately primed myself on the above subject, with the result that he inquired if I had graduated in forestry!

2. Anther professor questioned me on the Maori, and then struck off in the direction of obtaining an explanation of our educational system, and form of government.

This professor questioned me thoroughly, and not until the next day did I discover that he was a professor of education.

Questions on cattle and sheep farming and on grain growing are asked frequently. Medical men, too, are always in search of information on our hospital system, and Plunket nursing. Information concerning the motor industry is also very much sought after.

All of these questions. are asked, and a multitude of others. There can be no doubt about the value of the publicity which the Dominion thus secures. The work of the passenger agents is most interesting, and it is much appreciated by the tourist public.

Co-operation is not a sentiment—it is an economic necessity.

—Charles Steinmetz.

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The Railway Industry at Home

Mr. J. H. Thomas, M. P., General Secretary of the National Union of Raiwaymen, was one of the principal speakers at the Annual Conference of the Union held in Bristol on 1st July. In the course of an interesting speech, Mr. Thomas, whilst emphasising the gravity of the Railway situation at Home, expressed his belief that the present difficulties (brought about chiefly through road competition), would be surmounted. “I am one who believes we shall be able to pull round,” said Mr. Thomas. “I believe the railwaymen will face the situation fairly and squarely. It is our duty to face this problem with a single-minded desire to do the right thing…. We have been faced with serious situations before and have pulled through but we shall not pull through by bickering or suspicion….”

Another interesting speech that created much interest at the Conference was that delivered by Mr. J. Gore, the new president of the National Union of Railwaymen. He said that practical railwaymen were able to contribute brains as well as brawn to the solution of the present railway problem. Urging co-operation between the management and the men, he said: “The word ‘co-operation’ can only mean both sides putting their best into the industry without either becoming suspicious of the other to obtain the maximum results—the managerial side increased dividends and the employees’ side more appropriate wages and improved conditions.” In order to attain this end, he concluded: “We should be unworthy of the trust imposed in us if we failed first to use peaceful methods, recognising that it is only through constitutional machinery that rates of wages or conditions of service can be varied.”