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General Manager's Message
More Business Wanted.

In common with other industries the railways find the question “what can be done to make more business?” a very pressing one at the present time.

While steadfastly maintaining the high safety factor we appear to have brought the cost of producing transport to as low a figure as can reasonably be attained under existing conditions and on the present volume of traffic. No phase of economical production has been overlooked, and the Department has not hesitated to engage in any enterprise where careful investigation has shewn that an immediate benefit in the direction of lowering costs could be attained. An example of this is the present building of thirty locomotives of large capacity to effect saving in operating expenditure.

But, apart from recovering business from competitors, no transport undertaking can create traffic in general commodities—the traffic from which most of a railway's business is derived. The flow and volume of this depend upon general conditions of trade. Hence it is that the spring stirring from the winter of depression in general world affairs is looked to as the main source from which recovery in the volume of railway traffic may arise. Thus, for example, the success of the Ottawa Conference should have favourable reactions upon railway business in New Zealand.

There is, however, a margin of business in passenger transport which may be enlarged by suitable enterprise, and this possibility is being exploited by the Department to a considerable extent. The travel movement to specific tourist localities has been stimulated by co-operative effort in newspaper, poster, and folder advertising by the Department acting in conjunction with those interested in the respective resorts. Such travel helps to break up stagnation both directly, by the business it produces, and indirectly, by the fresher outlook and more progressive spirit which travel of this kind engenders.

Certainly what the railway machine wants at the present time is a greater volume to handle. The staff are keyed up to a high state of efficiency. The machine is working well, but much below capacity. Anything that tends to increase the volume of traffic to be transported will help importantly in making the Railways more profitable to the country.

General Manager.