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Taranaki Daily News, 1 November 1922, Page 4

COMMERCIALISING THE RAILWAYS. The visit of the commercial agents of the Railways to New Plymouth on Monday is, we hope, the beginning of a new era in the conduct of the railways. For years the commercial community have felt, rightly or wrongly, that it was difficult if not impossible to move the Railways to institute innovations and improvements in respect to either the passenger or freight service, until the belief became fairly general that the department was determined to resist any attempt to move it from its well-worn rut. Nearly all requests and suggestions were given the stereotyped reply that “it can’t be done,” and so, when motor traction appeared on the scene and offered strong competition to the railways, it was hailed with the liveliest satisfaction and accorded such a large measure of support as to cause serious loss to the railways in many directions. The railways should not now complain of this competition. They invited it: they made it possible. Indeed, they drove traffic and business on to the roads by failing to understand or appreciate the public viewpoint and requirements. On Monday, the commercial officers naturally endeavored to justify the policy of the railways, and appealed on patriotic grounds for support for the railways against the motors. They reminded their auditors that the railways belonged to the people, and any loss was borne by the general community and any profit shared by them. But the public will not be convinced by these arguments. They feel their needs have not been studied or interests consulted in the past, and, frankly, are far from displeased with the situation in which the railways now find themselves. They think, like ourselves, that the railways must meet this competition on their own merits, by giving better services; by catering for public needs, and by anticipating requirements and creating business. The railways, after all, are a business, and a big one at that, and should be run on lines similar to other commercial undertakings if success is to be achieved. They have been on the box seat in the past and dictated to the public. That time—thanks to the motor—has passed. The railways must now go out after business, and more business, or else they will continue to suffer. By their dilatoriness in giving adequate passenger services in Taranaki, for instance, they drove most of’ the passenger business to the motors, which have from their inception catered for the requirements of the public and established themselves in such a way as to make it difficult now for the railways to regain the patronage their past “take it or leave it, and be thankful” policy has lost. It cannot be denied, however, that if the railways were fully alive to the position they- would attract a good deal more business than they do, and the commercial agents, if they have a viewpoint different from that generally associated with railwaymen, can help appreciably by meeting the users of the railways and presenting their requirements and explaining their difficulties to the management. This has been a serious want in the past, though it must be acknowledged that during the past year or so the management have turned a sympathetic and helpful ear to the requests made on behalf of Taranaki interests. The railways must now make good, if they are to justify themselves, not by condemning and suggesting the imposition of handicaps upon motor traffic, but by catering for the public more than they have in the past. In short, the railways, to be successful, must be commercialised in every respect.