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Railway Progress in New Zealand.
General Manager's Message.
Progress By Co-Ordination.

The past month has seen material progress in the co-ordination of road and rail services through the purchase, by the Department, of a number of road service fleets which are operating under license on the more important routes related to railway transport in the South Island.

By the co-ordination of these services under single ownership, operating costs will be substantially reduced and much more than ever before can be done to improve the transport facilities of the districts concerned. The new arrangements will enable visitors to the South Island to make better connections as between road and rail when travelling to the tourist resorts with which all these recently acquired services are connected.

The magnetic attractiveness of the mountain and lake scenery and the romantic appeal they hold for the tourist and holiday-maker in winter-time are increasing in popularity from season to season, and they will undoubtedly receive more attention from the holiday-making public in all seasons now that the access and the transport services have been so much improved. These co-ordinated services will also enhance the prospects of the summer tourist traffic, which, next season, promises to be exceptionally heavy.

In time, too, there will be further progress by co-ordination through rail cars which will be operating both in the South and North Islands. As these units operate at a cost very much below that of the ordinary steam train they will be used to improve the frequency, comfort, and cleanliness of the service, whilst their capacity for maintaining a much faster timetable will also be appreciated.

I feel confident that the high standard of comfort and efficiency already established by the Departmental road services at present operating in other districts will be fully maintained on the new routes, and I can assure prospective users and the public generally that no effort will be spared to retain the good name that our road services have already gained, and to ensure that the service rendered is maintained according to the very best modern standards.

General Manager.