The greater proportion of capital expenditure in building the railways of this country was incurred at a time when the projectors could count upon securing the great bulk of the traffic available. Hence the range and quality of service to be rendered was based on such estimates, which included a long-term view of prospective additions to traffic through productive development made possible and specially assisted by the railways. In general, a broad outlook was held and generous attitude maintained regarding the responsibilities of the railways in fulfilling their function as the national transport undertaking.

The first consideration was to protect the lives of passengers. How well this has been done the remarkable record of recent years amply testifies. A further obligation to the public was the safe carriage of freight. In this, too, wonderful results have been achieved. Then suitable buildings, plant and timetables were required to assist in securing comfort and convenience for travellers and in meeting the needs of the senders and receivers of freight.

There are now over eleven hundred railway stations along the lines of this country, or an average of one for every three miles of track. Of these, nearly three hundred are officered, so that information about railway services as well as assistance in arranging transport is easily available to all.

Cattle and sheep yards, goods sheds, station platforms and waiting rooms, cranes for “out-size” lifts, trains to cater for various types of traffic, with suitable tracks and routes for them to run on, wagons for heavy loads, special types of trucks for different classes of traffic—fish, frozen meat, fruit, butter, cheese, coal, etc.—all these were provided on the long-term view that the railways would reap where they had sown.

Settlement has followed the railway as trade has followed the flag, but road transport along rail-serviced routes — competing transport that does not provide one tithe of the general public service which the railways do—is reaping where the railways have sown, with results that are proving decidedly detrimental to the financial position of the Dominion.

Help for farmers, help for suburban settlers, help for secondary industries, help in times of drought, flood, earthquake or war, all this has been given by the railways, in the course and cause of national development, and in a way which would have been impossible to any other form of transport. Hence when considering the advice “travel by page 6 rail” and “send by rail” it is well to remember that comparisons of bare operating costs do not tell the whole story, and that national advantage as well as personal security lies in the fullest possible patronage of the railways.

Southern Branch Lines
Official Statement by the Government Railways Board.

“The Board, upon its return to Invercargill, and in view of its experiences over the branch lines visited, desires to emphasize the serious condition of transport facilities in Southland, and again emphasizes for public consideration the fact that in its judgment the country cannot afford two competitive means of public transport where the railway facilities are sufficient to provide all reasonable services for the conveyance of goods and passengers. Proprietary interests could not be considered, but the national interests combined with reasonable public services only must be regarded in this important matter. A condition of transport competition as it at present exists is undermining the finances of the Government Railways and leaving as a legacy a very heavy obligation for road maintenance on public bodies. This economic condition is doing serious injury to public finance. The Board realizes there is room for both systems of transport, but they must be regulated and co-ordinated, and in its opinion the country must reach a point where its entire patronage is given to the railway system on main lines and important branches and that road transport must be—and should be—developed as feeders to the railway. It is along such lines that sound transport facilities can be developed in the national interest.

“The Board states that settlers and business people on their part must not take the short view, and think, as many of them apparently at present do, that they are getting advantages through temporary concessions from road transport—which leave them with a resultant heavy taxation bill to meet, which must be ultimately taken into account as pare of their transport charges. This point is frequently overlooked. The Railway Board depends upon the recent legislation under which licensing requirements are being enforced, but it realizes that New Zealand is only at the outset of such administration by the licensing authorities—and it is for this reason chiefly that it is resolved not to be hasty in any decision regarding the suggested closing of lines.

“In other words, it is affording to the people of all districts concerned the full opportunity as set out above to fully and sufficiently support the existing railway service of the Dominion to the end that it can be maintained and improved—and this can be done only by a ready and whole-hearted response to the appeal which the Board is now making to the Southland community and which it is reiterating to all districts of the Dominion. The Board, in making this appeal on its part, states that it realizes that convenient and efficient services must be given to the public and nothing will be left undone to this end.”

Bound Copies of the Magazine

The publication of the March-April issue of the Magazine completed the sixth volume. Readers are reminded that they may send forward their accumulated copies (May 1931 to March-April 1932 inclusive) for binding purposes. The volumes will be bound in cloth with gilt lettering, at a cost of 5/- per volume. Those desirous of having their copies bound may hand them to the nearest station master, who will transmit them free, with the sender's name endorsed on the parcel, to the Editor, “New Zealand Railways Magazine,” Wellington. When bound, the volumes will be returned to the forwarding stationmaster, who will collect the binding charge. In order to ensure expedition in the process of binding, copies should reach the Editor not later than 16th July, 1932.