N.Z. RAILWAYS

Hokitika Guardian, 26 August 1931, Page 3

N.Z. RAILWAYS

CENERAL MANAGER’S REPORT. Concluding his annual report, appearing in the Railway Statement released yesterday, the General .Manager, Mr 11. H. Sterling states: —

Since the close ol the year alterations have been made in the constitution oi the Department by the setting-up of the Government Railways Bqaril, and, as the arraiigemeiis providejfor m.v ta - ing over the' chairman sliTp of that Beard, will he the last annual report that I will make ill “my present capacity. Considerations of time and spaceprevent my making, a complete review of the last three years, but the main phases of our activities have been dear? with in the annual report that I have rendered each year. I would only say that a great deal of spade-work ha been done both in the direction of improving our standard of service and ol reducing costs, the effect of which is now being felt, and which, 1 ieel confident, will continue to be felt in the coming years. This has entailed a large volume of work in the face of very great difficulties.’ In this latter connection 1 need only mention toat since the period my general managership commenced—on Ist June, 1928 up to the time of writing there have .been no loss than three changes in the Ministerial control, a".fourth change in the form of control by the constitution of th'e Government Railways Board, and a full overhaul of the Department by a Royal Commission. These circumstances alone were sufficient to very materially curtail the amount ol time that could lie devoted to lresli w,ork and the amount of thought that could bo given to new ideas. As I have previously had occasion to point but, the side of the Department’s work that the ma.mmement is most particularly concerned with i s expenditure, and as regards that aspect I would emphasize the thought conveyed above—namely, that the ground-work which we were able to accomplish lias already made itself substantially felt and wifi continue to do so. The Department has had the misfortune', as has practically • every other kind of business, of having been faced with a serious trade depression, while the position regarding competition and the conditions in the transport industry gene-nily have created a state of affairs in the industry, we have endeavoured. where possible, to secure co-ordination by voluntary effort, mo as to tbe conditions which con’d not be met in that way we have endeavoured to living to the public a view of the position in proper perspective. 1 loci sure that the result has been to help towards the position that is undoubtedly developing—namely, that public opinion is crystal I izing in tin* direction of a realization of the necessity for something effective, being done to rationalize the tramnort industry.

In concluding my term of office of General- .Manager I. desire to. thank my executive officers and the staff generally for the loyal support that has been

>i ni t.o me [ have had tlie bench of much helpful -suggestion from all ranks of the Service, and I food a measure of pride in the fact that employees in even the lowest ranks have not been diffident in discussing matters of interest to the Department’s business with me as I have moved about the system. I also desire to thank the press and the public generally for the help and patient consideration that they have extended to me. Here, also, ! have had the benefit of many suggestions which have assisted me materially in carrying on the business of the Department. I have appreciated much friendly criticism, and I feel it aas been helpful not only from the point -f v ew of the substantive points made there in, hut from the fact that criticism, especially of a constructive character, serves an excellent purpose in keep.ng the organization up to a high standard of alertness. , The report was made as brief as possible in deference to the wishe s of the Economy ('omnnttee that .reports should he curtailed in order to minimize expense. For this reason, also, a number of statements and graphs that have hitherto been published with the annual report are omitted for the reason that it was considered that their value was not commensurate with the cost of their cdinpilation and publicaation.