MINISTERIAL OFFICES

Evening Star, Issue 20052, 18 December 1928, Page 7

MINISTERIAL OFFICES

ESTABLISHMENT IN DUNEDIN AND AUCKLAND STATEMENT BY HOH. HR TAVERNER Tho now Minister of Railways (the Hon. W. B. Taverner) had a busy time this morning attending to his duties as mayor of Dunedin, many people calling to discuss a variety of 'matters) with him. To a reporter Mr Taverner. made it clear that he had definitely decided to continue his home ■in Dunedin. Questioned in regard to the statement telegraphed from Auckland with relation to the proposal to establish Ministerial offices, in Dunedin and Auckland, Mr Taverner said the matter was receiving consideration, and there was little doubt that a convenient arrangement of this kind would ha made. The object was two-fold—firstly, to enable .Ministers in their own home centres to spend more time there than had been possible under the conditions existing when former Governments were in power; and, secondly, to enable them to keep in close touch with the business community and to have a responsible officer in charge of the district office in the absence of the Minister. The arrangement would also afford facilities for visiting Ministers to be in touch with the commercial community and the people generally. Tho Government considered that closer relations in this respect were vitally necessary. TOUR OF RAILWAY SYSTEMS. Mr Taverner stated that, as Minister of Railways, it was his intention to undertake a rapid but comprehensive tour of the North Island railway system. commencing about the middle of January. That would bo followed by a tour of the South Island system at the fir>t opportunity, in the short time at his disposal the Minister had been pleased to find among responsible officers a spirit of optimism with regard to the future of tho railway services. It was realised, of course, that all transportation was passing through an extraordinary period, and tho primary work was a clear understanding of the position as between the railway service and road competition.