PRAISE FOR RAILWAYS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 3 August 1929, Page 7

PRAISE FOR RAILWAYS

ENGLISH EXPERT’S OPINION VERY EFFICIENT SIGNALLING PREFERENCE FOR BRITISH GOODS “When New Zealand takes so much trouble to show us what is wanted it is England’s duty to supply the goods desired,” said Mr F. L. Castle, general manager of an English railway signal company, who arrived in Auckland after a month’s tour of the North and South Islands (states the “Herald”). Mr Castle, who left by the Aorangi for Vancouver; is engaged upon a tour of the world on behalf of bis firm, and has spent the last month on a tour of inspection of the signal installations and the Workshops of the Dominion’s railways, to become conversant with the requirements of this country in those lilies. Much of the newer signalling equipment recently installed by the Railway Department lias been supplied by his company. “New Zealand is exceedingly well advanced in electric signalling, and lias little to learn from the signalling devices of other countries,” said Air Castle. Generally, be considered the railways were well run and the comfort and facilities offered compared more than favourably with those of other countries where railways of similar gauge were in operation. Considering the curves which were necessary to negotiate tiie gradients in New Zealand, he was impressed with the degree of comfort, offered.

“People have a habit of criticising their railways instead of setting out to help them,” said Air Castle. “The man in the street should not ‘grouse’ that the department does not pay. hut set; himself out to do something for the yooil of the railways and tlu* country. If lie sends his goods by road the railways cannot pay. They belong to the country, and the profits are not distributed to shareholders in the form of dividends as they are in England and in many other countries, hut are for the benefit of the country as a whole." Afr Castle said he was particularly impressed with the sentimental ties that seemed to hind New Zealand very firmly to Great Britain, and above all, the, strong desire oil the part of the people to purchase British goods when that was possible. From his experience, firms which were sufficiently enterprising to send their technical men to the Dominion to study its requirements with a view to meeting its needs would receive the most generous help and would reap the benefit a i thousandfold.