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Railway Progress in New Zealand
General Manager's Message
The New Year

With the closing of another year, I am pleased to have the opportunity both to review the more important events of 1937 and to record the prospects for the year upon which we are just entering.

Of outstanding national importance was the opening of Wellington new station and the vacating of the old Head Office and Thorndon and Lambton Stations, probably the most important events in the history of the Department. The new station provides a remarkably convenient and efficient new centre both for the administration of the system and for the handling of our passenger and goods business. Its architecture, beauty, capacity and central situation are also emblematic of the true position the railways occupy as the largest and most frequently used organisation for the carriage of passengers and goods within the Dominion. The standard of convenience and amenities set in the new building imposes obligations upon the railway staff in the quality of the service they provide for the public, and to the extent that this service equals or excels the quality of the amenities available will it be possible to justify the expenditure involved in their provision.

The year has seen a further development of transport co-ordination in road passenger services taken over by the Department, which include those operating between Auckland and Hamilton, Hamilton and Rotorua, Rotorua and Opotiki, Rotorua and Wairakei in the North Island, and between Culverden and Westport and Rimu and Hokitika in the South Island. A tourist service ex Auckland has also been added to the increasing activities of the Department's Road Motors Branch.

During the year the new suburban twelve-trip weekly tickets were introduced to supersede the workers' weekly tickets previously used in suburban areas, a change which removed the distinction in rail transport conditions as between 8 o'clock and 9 o'clock workers and which has proved entirely successful from all points of view.

The tour of the Springboks was also an event of interest and pleasure to the Dominion. The services of the Railway Department were used for the whole of the tour, to the advantage and complete satisfaction of the visitors and the New Zealand Rugby Union.

Other events worth mentioning in this brief review are the opening of the railway to Wairoa for through goods transport, the extension of the double line from Horotiu to Ngaruawahia, the opening of the Lewis Pass Road, and the issue of “New Zealand Railways Illustrated.”

The revenue position of the Department has reflected the marked increase in passengers and goods carried and will, it is anticipated, establish for the current financial year a record in the history of the Department.

The Coming Year. To meet the increased business which the Department will be called upon to handle, the programme for the coming year provides for additional passenger rolling stock, with airconditioning as a main feature, as well as live-stock wagons, goods wagons, chilled beef wagons, locomotives, cars, and vans. The duplication of the line between Papakura and Ngaruawahia is being pushed ahead. There will be many more houses built for the use of employees and a further installation of the hot-water system in railway homes.

Additional buildings and plant are being provided at workshops, the modern signalling apparatus between Stratford and Okahukura will be completed, and many other improvements will be made at various stations throughout the Dominion.

Electric operation of the Wellington-Johnsonville line, with the introduction of multiple-units, and the running of electric locomotives between Wellington and Paekakariki through the Tawa Flat Deviation, will also be commenced. Additional rail car services (using the new standard type of rail car) will also be inaugurated.

The extension of the railway system in the not distant future includes the taking over of the Putorino-Wairoa portion of the Napier-Gisborne line, and the pushing on to completion of the South Island Main Trunk, the Inangahua-Westport and the Wairoa-Gisborne lines, as well as other important works, such as the Turakina-Okoia and Palmerston North deviations, the Paeroa-Pokeno railway and the Christchurch new station.

With a year of solid achievement to look back upon and a year of progressive development ahead of us, railwaymen may look forward with confidence to 1938

General Manager.