The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 2, Issue 8 (December 1, 1927)
Editorial. — A Great Event
Editorial.
A Great Event.
Good things have a habit of coming in troops. That is quite a common exprience of both individuals and nations. So the return of prosperity to the Dominion, the arrival of the Rt. Hon. L. S. Amery, and the approach of Father Christmas, all within a month or so of each other, are among the fortunate conjunctions of events that the thinking public like to regard as due rather to custom than coincidence.
The people of the far-flung countries, continents, and islands that fly the Union Jack are just as closely identified in their speech, habits, laws, customs, beliefs, and outlook as are those of Surrey and Kent, of Edinburgh and Glasgow.
The disadvantages of their geographical separation are being rapidly overcome by speedier transit methods; but more rapid than the inventions of the engineers is the movement towards complete understanding produced by such momentous visits around the Empire as those paid by the Empire's representatives-our present King and Queen, our Prince, our Duke and Duchess, our Prime Ministers, and now our Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs.
Mr. Amery's visit marks an outstanding development in Empire history. His own brilliant record reveals a combination of those personal qualities that go to the making of a great man and a great statesman. His interest in the overseas Dominions is natal as well as national, for he was born in the North-west Province of India where his father-a Devon manheld a position in the Forest Department. Young Amery was early sent Home to gain the advantage of that traditional education which so closely links Harrow and Oxford with the Empire as a whole. At both school and university he acquitted himself brilliantly, finishing in style in 1897 by having the rare distinction of being elected to a Fellowship of All Souls College.
Concentrating his attention upon journalism, the paper which sets the world standard in news distribution, the London “Times,” found in 1899 that it could not be happy without Mr. Amery's services, and he was retained for the next ten years on the editorial staff of that great bulwark of all that is best in British character and sentiment. While with the “Times” he had a period as war correspondent in South Africa and in 1902 became a Barrister of the Inner Temple.
As happens with so many skilled journalists the possibilities of a parliamentary career early claimed his attention and we find him, at the age of thirty-three, trying his fortune at Wolverhampton as a Unionist and Tariff Reformer. His first four shots at the hustings failed; but with that quality of perseverance which is the sure guarantee of ultimate success, Mr. Amery was undaunted, and at his fifth attempt was returned (in 1911) for South Birmingham.
During the Great War he served in Flanders, Salonika and the Balkans, later rising through various executive offices to the position of Secretary to the Admiralty in 1921–22. He was later First Lord of the Admiralty for two years.
Mr. Amery's parliamentary career has excelled even the bright promise of his earlier days, with the result that he now holds the portfolio of Secretary of State for the self-governing Dominions and also for the rest of the Empire.
page 3In nothing has he shown more clearly the right to be classed amongst the greater of British statesman than in the wonderfully clear vision he has of the Empire's power and possibilities. Speaking of Great Britain's war debt to America he said: “The development of the Empire is our War of Independence against American domination,” and as a convinced Protectionist, he sees in that policy a most valuable weapon for helping to win this economic war, and would apply it by adopting a really vigorous system of Empire preference.
Mr. Amery is to be congratulated on the capacity for work and organisation which has helped him to break through old customs, and do, what no Colonial Secretary has ever before managed, that is, go all about and around the Empire and see things for himself.
Luncheon Baskets on Trains.
Amongst the travel amenities which the Department is providing for the current Summer's traffic is the supply of luncheon baskets on main trunk passenger trains in the North Island.
These promise to be a boon to travellers who prefer to have their refreshments on the train rather than at the counters or dining rooms of refreshment room stations.
The depots to stock the hampers will be Marton and Frankton. If the innovation proves popular the system will be extended to other districts. Any passenger desirous of obtaining a hamper will require to notify the Stationmaster when joining the train at the starting station, or the guard, in sufficient time beforehand, so that the Refreshment Rooms staff at the stations mentioned may have time to prepare the hampers for placing on the train.
When the train arrives at either Marton or Frankton the hampers will be delivered through the train to the passengers who ordered them.
The baskets are very neatly and smartly equipped with the necessary table-ware and will contain cold meats, salad, biscuits, cheese, bread, butter and fruit. They will also have a thermos flask containing tea or coffee as ordered or aerated waters will be provided if desired. The charge for the luncheon so prepared will be 3/-.
In his statement to Parliament this year, the Hon. Minister of Railways in referring to the intention to provide a supply of hampers said:—
“Refreshment services, whilst being expected to pay, must also be looked upon as a very necessary service to the travelling public, and do offer, if fully utilised, a very valuable saving of time to busy men and women travelling by the express trains. The refreshment section of the English railway systems is taken full advantage of in popularising train services, and administrative officers know the value of giving rapid transit to passengers, while at the same time so arranging matters that the travellers land at their destinations fully equipped for the prosecution of business without avoidable loss of time in the partaking of meals.
Some of your griefs you have cured,
And the sharpest you still have survived;
But what torments of pain you endured
From evils that never arrived!