RAILWAY MATTERS.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 November 1924, Page 4

RAILWAY MATTERS.

DON. C OATES EXI’I.A INS AUCKLAND, November !). "We are mu after business,” said the- lion .1. C. (Hates (.Minister of Railways) at Tauranga lasL night when referring to railway matters. “We tire

separating the railway accounts from Treasury; by .March next I hope we will be remit with the double entry system, and then railway tinallee will be understood by everybody. It- will lie a separate business; it will he run i n its own separate basis. I do not wish to make any rellec tioii upon precious 'Alin.isC'rs—every 'one. Liberal and Reform —has left his mark and tocI;lv we are reaping the benefit ; but wo cannot stop. Mc* must treat the railwavs as' a business euiioorn. \\ c will have to get our finance right, and in that connection it will he- nec-os-sarv to have a valuation made ill" all the railways. It will be a. long job, but it w ill have to be dune.”

It was their aim, continued the Minister, to make- every railway ofiieial a willing co-operator. It was his desire to see every man regarding the service as his service—to lc-c-1 that he was part and parcel of the “show,” not. mere-lv to do his duty, but to en-

tice people' to use bis own eoneern. Whether porter or Celteral .Manager or Minister, every man ought to be out lor business. They wauled to slmw what the railways could give'. •■We want to enthuse new life into the New Zealand railways ami we want to go further.” said Mr Coates. ••If the policy laid down this year is now given effect to it will not be for lack of luird work bv ibe- manager and the Minister. When we get every man interested ill Ids eoneern I think tinpublic will Im- with ns- How lar have we got y 111 tin- lii si I'J nionllis we did lint get lar I said to Mr MeV illy : ‘We have got this sal i-Tac-l ion : Wo can say definitely we have dope nothing.’ We have done something since tlien, however. As indicating our pursuit 'of business. I might mention that whe'ic previously we had a freight of Till Tains of wool our eommereial agents have been able to collect between sOIKI and !)(I!J<> bales- it all went hv mail before. In a district with six daily fuel dries which formerly gave us no Ircighl we now get the lot. ‘•We want your business," declared the Minister cheerily to a gathering which represented the whole ol the llav of Plenty district and other parts of the province. “We want the busi ness of Sir William Armstrong, Whitworth and Company,” he added with a smile to .Colonel (! re-enough, the 10 prcsentativo of the firm. "We want to reduce freights and lares generally, hul we can only do it when you give- ns your business. I propose- to reduce haulage costs in certain cases. Wc

are going to try motor engines ami motor' lorries on tho lines. Me are going to carry the war into your own camp,” saiil Air Coates in conclusion! “That can only he done by energv and incessant work. Our Departmental heads will he only too pleased if you will approach them and talk over railway matters with them. They are keen to get the psychology of the public, ami to meet yoiy I believe that in this way we will break down a prejudice against the railways—there is a prejudice. In some parts of New Zealand it is only necessary to say von belong to the railways to lie down and out. We want to stop that.” 'l'he Alblister spoke in similar strain at the ceicmcMv of cutting the sod at Tepuiia 'luring the afternoon. “Me want your patronage,” he said. “M’e are after you now and may ho asking you for ngreemen ts that will he tying you down for all your trade for some years. Formerly it was the custom to sit in Mclliilgton and take what you gave us: we do so no longer. M’e do not want to squeeze out motor com-1 petition, hut we will if we can."