It may be taken as a truism, that no industry of any consequence can be carried on without supplies appropriate to its character. An industry of the magnitude and importance of the Working Railways of New Zealand, requires an astonishing variety of stores and materials.

The volume and annual value of such stores and materials (including stationery) are of such dimensions that a properly organised and specially trained branch of the Department is necessary to handle the purchase, receipt, custody and issue of them, and to account correctly for them. The Stores branch exists for this purpose. It is essentially a department of service and its prime function is to supply stores and materials when and where required for railway purposes. The activities and necessities of working railways bring the Stores branch into contact with practically every other industry that produces, manufactures or distributes in New Zealand and with merchants and manufacturing firms throughout the British Empire, as well as in foreign countries. Its purchases and turnover probably exceed that of any other organization or business in New Zealand. Therefore it is of the greatest importance that everything it does should be on sound and correct lines and, furthermore, as it forms part of an important Department of State it is equally necessary that its commercial probity should be of the highest standard to retain the confidence, not only of those to whom it is immediately responsible, but of everyone with whom is has business contact.