RAILWAY TRAFFIC

Hokitika Guardian, 7 September 1932, Page 3

RAILWAY TRAFFIC

V- ■ i s■■■■*■ *‘ : bH

HELPING THE DEPARTMENT.

APPEAL TO PUBLIC.

■ ' v riianageinent can strengthen its pO'sition in and recovep business'’froiri 1 ' its comp6ti- | tors, it cannot create genbfaT traffic, j which depends on the people them- ' selves, states the General Manager' of Railways; v Mr P. G. RoiiSsell, iff the current number of the “New' Zeala'hd Railway Magazine.” ' “In Common ivith other' ihdust/tes, the railways find the question, ‘AVhai can be- done to make’ Wore' ‘'Btfsiifes's ?’ a very pressing one at the present time,” - lie continues. “While steadfastly maintaining the high safety "factor, ive appear t 6 have br'oirglit the cost of producing transport to as foW ure ' as can reasOnably' be attained under existing conditions And oti the present volume of traffic. No phase of economical production has been ’ overlooked, and the" department” Ha A' "not hesitated tef/engage ‘in any enterprise where careful investigation lids shoWn Chat an immediate benefit in the direction .Of "lowering 'costs could be attained. An example'of this is’-the-pres-ent building ’of thirty locomotives of large capacity to- effect saving ' in operating'expenditure. • • •’/ ' ;.\ ■ “But,'’apart' from recovering- bu s *' ness''- from' competitors, no transport undertaking can create traffic in general commodities-^the • traffic •' from which most; of/a railway’s " business'’ is derived.. . The flow and volume of this depend upon ' general condiionsv o-. trade. Thtfs, for example, -the success of tlfe Otttoa Conference' should have favourable reactions upon railway business ih" New Zealand. ‘ ;

“There.is, however, a margin of-bush ness in'/paSsenger ■' transport which may be ;: bnlarged v by suitable enterprise/ -and this 'possibility is being '.exflovfcc ’’ by the department to ; a considerable extent; The travel movement todstoerfic tourist • localities has been stimulated by co-operative-’ effort - in 'newspaper, poster,-and‘folder advertising by'the department' acting ‘in conjunction : with those interested in .the respective re-

sorts.’ -; ' . : ,r '/ ] “Certainly-what the' railway'machine ivptits at the present time is a greater volume- to handle; The- staff- are; ketor: up' to'-a .high ' State .of ■■efficiency.’’'' The marfrirfe- is working! well, 'but' mneh' he j low capacity. Anything' that tends' -to’ increase the volume of traffic to be transported- will’; help importantly in making Hie railways ‘riiore profitable to the country.”' /- •• •• -'/ : / ;