"RECOVERY" FRUITS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 292, 9 December 1936, Page 23

"RECOVERY" FRUITS.

RAILWAYS REGAIN SHARE. APPEAL FOR CO-OPERATION. When Now Zealand emerged, from other depressions, the railways returned to tlicir own, having no serious competition in their own sphere. But returning prosperity in 1930 finds road competition and air competition all striving to share in the fruits of recovery. To meet this competition, the railways now have road services of their own, also such railway improvements as electrification and railcars. The railways also rely on the efficiency of their stall' and 011 their staff's attitude to the public.. In noting the great increase in railway revenue, the general manager. Mr. G. IT. Macklcv. writes in the "Railways Magazine": "Arising from this augmented nublic patronage the opportunity is afforded the Department to demonstrate its ability to give satisfaction to travellers and traders alike in those factors which mean so much in the orderly, progress of transport. I wish again to express thanks to the staff for the splendid support they have giyen throughout the year to the efforts of the management. and to tlie public for their friendliness and the increasing use they have made of the national transport system. "The latest available figures of railway revenue show that for the 32 weeks of the current financial year from April 1 to November 7 the gross revenue i.s approximately £473,223 greater than for the corresponding term last year, having risen from £3.893,772 to £-1,3(17.000. The increase in net revenue has been sufficient to meet the whole of the increased costs involved in handling the greater volume of traffic, in making a complete restoration of wages to tlie prc-depression level, and. more recently, in introducing the 40hour week throughout the railway service. "It is anticipated that the approaching Christmas and New Year holiday period will be one of exceptional activity 111 the transport world and more particularly in so far as our railways are concerned. The efficiency of our organisation will, 110 doubt, be thoroughly tested, and as a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, everybody associated with the operating' side of our business will require to see that the weakest link is sufficiently strong to adequately withstand tlie strain that it will 110 doubt have to bear."