POLICY POINTS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 161, 28 September 1927, Page 13

POLICY POINTS

The Railway Statement

Present and future activities of the Railways Department are summed up by the Hon. J. G. Coates in his annual statement as follow: EARLY completion of Tawa Flat and Westfield deviation routes, with improved stations and terminal facilities at Wellington and Auckland. FULL decentralisation under the divisional-control system of administration. Improvement of procedure in relation to management. AMALGAMATION of the operations side of departmental activities into one organisation. EXTENSION of commercial activities, with separation oi passenger and freight work, to permit of more concentrated personal attention to tourists, excursionists and general passenger traffic, and to the requirements of primary and secondary producers. Establishment of a publicity branch to make fully known the advantages and activities of the department. Fuller use of advertising branch artists in coping with general Government advertising. Exchange system of New Zealand railways officers with the officers of other railway organisations. Co-operative plan for improving working conditions in workshops. INCREASED FACILITIES for passengers’ comfort and conveninece, and modem equipment at principal stations and on trains. Action to eliminate smoke nuisance. Further utilisation of rail-cars. Investigation of new methods to make further use of soft coals. Uniformity tribunal to place staffing matters on the same footing in all Government departments. Extension of facilities for holiday concessions to scholars and students. Mail-exchangers to be employed for express trains to expedite mail-work. Further separation of “goods” anil "passenger" traffic by the elimination of “mixed” trains. Introduction of train-control on principal sections of line. Further extension of Railway Conference facilities in the direction of assisting standardisation as between Australia and New Zealand. Trial of improved locomotives types to reduce operating costs. Further tariff adjustments to assist primary and secondary industrial development. Workshops reorganisation in accordance with the most modern practice. Further action in the direction of eliminating level-crossings. Yard and grade improvements where such will assist reduction in operating cost. Extension of automatic signalling system and of railway electrification where warranted. Further development of departmental housing activities. Better amalgamation of transport services throughout the Dominion to produce better operating conditions and improved economic effort.