The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast, Times. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18th, 1921. THE RAILWAY RIFT.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 December 1924, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast, Times. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18th, 1921. THE RAILWAY RIFT.

In till- tour.se of an article bearing oil the pending changes in the management u'f the 'New Zealand railways (be “I.yttelton Times” puls turn aid some interesting aspects governing the inside history of allairs in dealing with tin- retirement of .Mr It. W.. M’Villy which cannot be without wide pubic interest, and as the information is given so definitely and is so well informed evidently, is worthy of reproduction lor the benefit of all concerned, and in lairness to the principal figure in the story. The paper goes.on to say: The statement that Mr R. W. M'Villy lias resigned (lie position of General Manager of the New Zealand railways will surprise i.o one who has followed the course of events at all closely. 11 is position became almost untenable three or four years ago, when lie bail to bear the brunt of eriteism that should really have been directed against the Minister, and liLs difficulties must have been increased rather than diminished by the policy that the present Minister lias put into operation. It has been fairly evident, indeed, that Minister and General Manager have differed, preit.v widely ever since the Government surrendered on the subject of the wages claim of the employees. The justice of the claim on broad grounds could scarcely have l>een contested, since the railway-men lmd not participated in the general increase in wages, based on the increase in the cost of living that came with the trading boom. At the same time, of course, the earning power of the railways was declining, the cost of upkeep had increased enormously because of the unavoidable troubles of the war period, and there was the added difficulty of the rapid iiu-rea.su in the cost of coal, coupled witli the troubles ill the mines. I’robably if the responsibility had been thrown on the General Manager be would have curtailed bis expenses and shortened his stall' and would thus have been able to offer a better -wage to the employees that continued in the service, while those who were retrenched would have bad no serious difficulty in finding remunerative employment outside the service. The Government, however, preferred the easier course of granting an increase in wages to the whole service, while simultaneously, the hours were reduced and actually the number of bands was increased. Cabinet as a whole took the responsibility for this development, but the task of making ends meet fell on the shoulders of the General Manager. whose difficulties were enormously enhanced by the rapid growth of motor traffic. It is due to Mr M’Villy that the position should be stated. When Mr C’oate.s became Minister it was not long before suggestions of acute differences with the General Nfanager liecaine current. Mr Coates may not have bad any expereinfo of railway control, but lie knew that a service that was out of touch with the trading community could not prosper and be was determined that this reproach should disappear. His methods were not those that- appealed to old railway servants, but they certainly commended themselves in the main to commercial people, though it. cannot be said that they pot the railways on a thorough business basis. Probably with the vitation to the railway experts who ■were in New South Wales to visit New Zealand Mr M’Villv came to the conclusion that his retirement, which bad

been deferred during the period of acute difficulty, could very well take effect. Indeed, our own surmise is that the General Manager was waiting for some such opportunity to terminate his long and honourable service. It would appear that as the result of the Commission’s visit new and even revolutionary changes are proposed in the management of the railways. It will be time enough to discuss them when full details are announced but in the meantime Mr AUVilly’s retirement could scarcely be passed over without a word of recognition of his work and incidentally of the difficulties that lie has encountered durng the last few years.