Co-operation Wanted.

“It will be my deliberate policy,” said Mr. Sterling, “to invite the co-operation of everybody—of the Progress League, of the Chamber of Commerce, and every other like body that will help us to gauge the demand accurately. I do invite you now to believe that I speak from the bottom of my heart when I ask you to come in with me on this problem. The chairman said he thought I would make the railways pay. Whether they will pay or not lies in the lap of the gods. What we all can do, and what I shall endeavour to do, will be to do the best possible in the circumstances. This is as much as I can do, and it is going to be no one-man job. I carry no talisman in my pocket other than that one word—co-operation—that will enable that ‘wantingness’ to change into a state of sufficiency. If you see anything wrong I want you to believe it will be appreciated by me if you will let me know. I have no feeling other than friendliness towards any constructive criticism that can be brought to bear on the work of the railways. I have a feeling that if we do not have criticism we will slip back. I want criticism that is constructive and helpful and made with a sincere desire to co-operate with me to get the best results from the railways in which you gentlemen, in common with the rest of the country, are shareholders.”