THE NEW SPIRIT.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 225, 22 September 1928, Page 10

THE NEW SPIRIT.

RAILWAY CURTESY.

'I. '.» ATTITUDE TO THE PUBLIC.

REGTJLATIONS RELATED.

, [(Br JWegraj*.—Parliamentary Reporter.)

-;---- WELLINGTON, Friday. Prompted by some critical references from Mr. E. J. Howard regarding the unpleasant experiences of a railway passenger, tho Prime Minister, replying to a discussion on railway matters in the House to-day,-spoke of the improved spirit of .the railway service. He gave credit to the member' for Christchurch South for being keenly interested in the Department, and making some useful suggestions, but he felt more like taking up the disagreeable things he had said. It was most extraordinary that a Labour member should have complained about the incivility of the railway staff. The speaker's experience had been all the other way, and people had told him that, since the reorganisation of the railways, there had been an entirely new attitude by the public towards the staff. On the other hand, the staff seemed to be doing their best, and were getting direct results for the co-opera-tion which the Department had been endeavouring to bring about by the re- ' laxation of restrictive regulations. Mr. Howard: That's the smallest point I touched on! You leave the bigger ones! The Prime Minister: I understood him to say we had done very little to improve the service. Mr. Fraser (Wellington Central): There is a general feeling that the civility was never greater. The Prime Minister: I am quite sure the staff generally are interested in their work, and doing their best to give eood service. Whether there is material at hand to give good service is another point. They can only give such service as is at their disposal. He pointed, however, to proposals for improved carriages for dining cars, •nd other innovations for comfort in travelling, all of which in the Prime Minister * opinion would have the effect 2. !^pa V r S en P t Üb,iC W**t7 *"»««" L ••