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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 3, Issue 11 (March 1, 1929)

General Manager's Message — Our Administrative Methods

page 8

General Manager's Message
Our Administrative Methods

The need for a liberal interpretation of public transport requirements was never greater than at the present day. The difficulty is to properly understand these requirements and then relate the provision of facilities and appliances, disposal of rolling stock, and allocation of motive power in just proportions.

In order to obtain the best possible information I recognise it as necessary that there should be an uninterrupted relation of knowledge through all the grades in every branch of the service towards the general management, and a return radiation of the accumulated pooled knowledge and of the decisions made in relation thereto through each of the respective branches.

In achieving this purpose I have found it convenient at times to hold conferences of different grades upon special points requiring the best information available for their solution. For instance I had occasion some while back to call together representative shunters to discuss matters arising out of their daily work. This last month a conference of principal stationmasters was held to discuss the passenger transport requirements of their respective localities with a view to settling designs of cars and improving operating efficiency in the interests of the public.

Both conferences, as well as the monthly meeting of Branch heads, have helped and are helping to bring about a wider outlook and more adhesive spirit amongst the staff, which will result in steadily improving service to the public. Everywhere I find evidence amongst the staff of a disposition to be frankly helpful in securing traffic for the Railways and an abundance of ideas as to how this can best be done, whilst among the public there is a growing appreciation of the real effort made to convey them and their goods safely and economically along the railway lines of the Dominion.

These methods are helping to bring a freshness and elasticity into the organisation from which nothing but good can result. To quote Lord Riddell, “It looks as if the efficient will inherit the earth and the misty and obscure will be left in the lurch.” Upon points of general administration covering the community nature of the service it is the function of the Railways to perform, I hope to be able always to arrive at a full understanding with the public by helpful discussion with representative bodies, so that nothing may be left misty or obscure in regard to them. Within the service, efficiency has been maintained at a high level, and will be still further improved when the reticulation of Departmental information and knowledge is perfected along the lines indicated above.

General Manager.

page 9
Saw ye a peak 'mid the ranges— Majestic where peaks are high— Cradled in billows of sombre mist Above where the Keas fly? —John Maclennan.A Popular All-the-Year-Round Holiday Resort. Mt. Cook (12,349ft.), the Monarch of the Southern Alps, South Island, New Zealand, seen across the Hooker River.

Saw ye a peak 'mid the ranges—
Majestic where peaks are high—
Cradled in billows of sombre mist
Above where the Keas fly?
—John Maclennan.

A Popular All-the-Year-Round Holiday Resort.
Mt. Cook (12,349ft.), the Monarch of the Southern Alps, South Island, New Zealand, seen across the Hooker River.