page 12

Railway Progress in New Zealand.
General manager's message
Christmas Greetings.

The Hon. D. G. Sullivan, Minister of Railways, has expressed a desire to be associated with myself and the Executive Officers of the Department in a message conveying to all members of the Service, all clients of the Department, and all readers of the Magazine our best wishes for a Happy Christmas and a Bright and Prosperous New Year.

The marked improvement in the whole railway situation in New Zealand during the past twelve months is a matter upon which all can be congratulated, and it is pleasing to know that this revival has occasioned general satisfaction.

It is anticipated that the approaching Christmas and New Year holiday period will be one of exceptional activity in the transport world and more particularly insofar as our Railways are concerned. The efficiency of our organisation will, no doubt, be thoroughly tested, and as a chain is only as strong as its weakest link everybody associated with the operating side of our business will require to see that the weakest link is sufficiently strong to adequately withstand the strain that it will no doubt have to bear.

The indications are that the future holds much promise for progressive development in every phase of our activities, and with the strengthening of public support the capacity of the Railways to handle the major portion of the transport needs of the community is increasingly necessary. Arising from this augmented public patronage the opportunity is afforded the Department to demonstrate its ability to give satisfaction to travellers and traders alike in those factors which mean so much in the orderly progress of transport.

I wish again to express thanks to the staff for the splendid support they have given throughout the year to the efforts of the Management, and to the public for their friendliness and the increasing use they have made of the National Transport System.

The latest available figures of railway revenue show that for the 32 weeks of the current financial year from the 1st April to the 7th November the gross revenue is approximately £473,228 greater than for the corresponding term last year, having risen from £3,893,772 to £4,367,000. The increase in net revenue has been sufficient to meet the whole of the increased costs involved in handling the greater volume of traffic, in making a complete restoration of wages to the pre-depression level, and, more recently, in introducing the 40-hour week throughout the Railway Service.