Looking Over The Iron Trail

NZ Truth, Issue 1149, 8 December 1927, Page 8

Looking Over The Iron Trail

AS Herbert Chapman, Railway District Traffic Manager at Christ-

church, does not appear to possess a hyper-sensitive epidermis he would scarcely take umbrage if Kipling's eulogy of Lord Roberts were applied to him. For Chapman, too, "is little; but he's wise; he's a terror for" his size!" This dictum would certainly evoke a chorus of fervent "hear, hears" and "too trues" throughout Canterbury — West Coast railwayland. Most of Chapman's official life has been spent m the South Island and he knows every inch of the iron track therein and almost every bridge, crossing, tunnel and water-tank. And he can just about tell you off pat whether the platform porter at Parnassus has as hefty a job as the

one at Prebbleton and how the refreshment room pies and sandwiches at Otira compare with those handed out at Waipara! Twelve years ago Chapman had iust emerged from the thraldom of the rank and file "class" — generally a longdrawn out, soul-destroying process m the big departments of state. Like the übiquitous Scai'let Pimpernel he is always bobbing up unexpect-< edly m some remote part of his territory which is a pretty sensible way of sizing up how the wheels of railwaydom are revolving.

When the edict went forth that commercial methods were to be adopted m running the railways no officer was more quickly seized of the new conditions than , Chapman.