Guards and Guides of the Files

The Records Division is the initial recipient of all inwards correspondence and the final depository and custodian of all completed communications and documents dealt with at Railway Headquarters, Wellington. It may be termed a clearing house.

Such a clearing house in Government Departments is titled “Records.” Elsewhere it is termed a Filing Division, Correspondence Department, or Mailing Room. All, however, have the same objective in view, and that is the bringing together of all memoranda on related subjects and indexing them so that they are procurable at a moment's notice.

The Sure Memory of the Management.

This collation of correspondence forms what is termed a “file,” and these files may in turn be styled the automatic or composite memory of the Management.

The Records Divison does not actually write letters. One of its primary duties is to put up to executives for decision, and to officials delegated to institute further inquiry or dictate replies, all information bearing in any way on a point raised in a communication. An inward letter, be it a single sheet or half-a-dozen typed pages, boiled down and stripped of its packing, shews up one point, and the finding of this one point is the guide which every Record Clerk and his assistants seek to enable them to allocate memoranda to the relative files, which in turn show all previous arguments bearing on the warp and woof of the subject.

A Glance at the System.

In the early days of the Management and up to twelve years ago, the book method of indexing files was in operation, but since 1921 the more modern method of card indexing has been utilised entirely. To-day there is not one record book in the Division. This card system is visual, alphabetic and numeric.

A glance at any cabinet shows numerous drawers with a letter of the alphabet on each. Open any of these, and immediately is seen an alphabetic arrangement of names, subjects, or stations, and behind each of these is an analysis—again alphabetical.

The subject index is made fool-proof by means of cross referencing of titles.

The location cabinet shows all stations in alphabetic sequence, and following each name is a further tabulation of cards A to Z “Accidents at,” “Accommodation at” are shown on the first two, and so the sequence goes on to “Water at” or “Wharves at.”

Routeing of Files.

Hourly throughout the day envelopes are opened and the contents date stamped. Correspondence dealing with staff affairs and commercial rates and events department, after being perused by the Record Clerk, is handed to assistants who are experts in the activities of these two departments. Their attention is drawn to important and urgent memoranda, and directions are given as to disposal. These are dealt with immediately, and in the space on the date stamp they are marked off to the Head of the Department concerned for further necessary action.

An hourly delivery of files and a similar collection of signed correspondence for despatch are made throughout the day; in fact there is a continuous movement, inwards and outwards, in order of urgency.

Ninety-nine per cent, of daily inward correspondence is routed by Records on the date of receipt. All correspondence to any one addressee is placed in pigeon-holes and despatched prior to train or steamer departure times. A District Traffic Manager opening his special Departmental envelope each morning or evening receives therein communications from General Manager, Commercial Manager, Law Officer, Publicity Manager, Chief Engineer, Chief Accountant, Locomotive Superintendent, or Controller of Stores.

Files of Olden Times.

A look at the main filing room portrayed in the illustration shows files dating from 1877, containing, in many cases, correspondence dating prior to that year. These were the days when typewriters were unknown in New Zealand, and all communications were handwritten, in some cases by “writers” and laboriously copied by the “office tiger.”

It may be mentioned herein that all files since 1877 are not available. Thousands and thousands of files, containing purely routine correspondence, have been burnt under supervision at the destructor. This work still goes on, and is one which no Record Clerk has delegated to subordinates.

The number of files now available is approximately 190,000 embracing every imaginable phase of the Management's operations.

Organisation of the Office.

In addition to the two assistants before mentioned, the Division employs female Office Assistants and Cadets. The former circulate the files as between the various offices, make new files and index them, deliver files telephoned for, despatch letters, circulars, and telegrams. Cadets obtain all files for inward letters and file away all completed files. This filing is an exacting duty; yet the present lads' margin of error is practically nil.

The Record Clerk or either of his two principal assistants is available at any time to show controllers of correspondence in business houses, etc. through the Division. A half-hour or so spent in such a visit will not be time wasted, but will be of mutual benefit to both parties.

New Zealand Railways Records Division.
(Ryl. Publicity Photos.)
(1) Mr. C. L. Blackburn, Divisional Clerk (Administrative Section); (2) Records Division: (right) Mr. F. J. D. Small (Record Clerk) and (left) Mr. K. G. Reid (assistant) also shewing Filing Cadets at work and the index cabinets; (3) Despatch and Staff Records (left) Mr. J. A. Davidson, Assistant Record Clerk (Staff Correspondence); (4) Main Filing Room; (5) Staff Administrative Section, Mr. J. S. King (right) Senior Clerk.