THE RAILWAYS

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 73, 19 December 1929, Page 8

THE RAILWAYS

MAKING THE DEPARTMENT EFFICIENT ADDRESS BY THE GENERAL MANAGER The first re-union of officers associated with the Petone and Hutt Valley Workshops was held on Saturday at the Hutt Valley Workshops. The toast.'Of “The Management” was proposed by Mr. A. E. Walworth (works manager), who remarked upon the fact that the executive officers of the department had alwayd been men of high standing. “They are men whom we can love and respect," he said. “In recent years the Kailway Deportment has been through some serious trials on account of motor competition. If we can each, at the Hutt Valley Workshops, save five minutes per day. it means that a sum of £6OOO to £7OOO would be saved in the course of a year in this workshop alone. Imagine what that saving would be if a similar result could be achieved throughout the service. -I believe that this can ' be done,” declared Mr. Walworth. Good Work of Former Management. Mr. H. H. Sterling (General Manager of Kailways) said he appreciated the reference to officers who had gone before, and they could all look back to them and their work with pride. They laid the groundwork of a great organisation. If. as a result of the work which he himself did for the department, he could look back in his retiring days on duty well and truly done, ■ as they could, it would be sufficient recompense. Among the changes, he continued, was the coming of motor competition. In relation to that, railwaymen felt that the railways were yi the position of an only son having to share a heritage when a little brother arrived. This little brother was growing up to vigorous manhood; his rights could not be denied, he had to have them. But what the railways could help to do was to make their, joint heritage bigger, so that when the little brother grew up he would get his share, while the railways’ share would be no less. “It is our business to make the railways of greater and greater use to the public.” Mr. Sterling acknowledged the tribute paid to those who had planned the workshops and those who had carried them through. He complimented the works manager on the.sthndard that had been set in the new -shops, and said that he felt sure his efforts were appreciated by those under him. Organisation Essential. “As a man fails in harmonising himself with his fellows, he fails in his job,” said Mr. Sterling. “Any lack of’ harmony in thoughts and actions in an industrial concern acts as sand in the wheels, and is not conducive to smooth running. In my executive officers I have associated with me men who work in with that ideal. I am satisfied that unless you have - men working, with .you. who are doing their . best to , carry out the intentions of the management an<K working with a will and loyalty, to both those above and those below thorn, the management cannot' succeed.” Mr. Sterling said he. recognised f.that duty within the organisation ran down ; wards as well tjs upwards.. The handling, of men did not depend alone upon dis-.: ciplinary. methods, /•<“! -always, like to regard the men under me,” he said, “as decent human , beings who believe, that I am actuated ;by the best motives for their welfare in the-industrial and any other sphere, and I believe that you believe that.” '■ “Wo. have from timo- .to fime. in the pa§t heard references-about the staff having a share, in the management.” said Mr. Sterling. “If the suggestion is that the railways should' be managed by democratic vote I am sure it only needs to p be so stated for its 'impossibility.\to be apprehended. If, on the other hand, it means that every man should be allowed to develop his individuality in his-

job to tthe utmost extent possible, then I say without hesitation that, so far as I am concerned at any rate, everybody from the lowest to the top has a share in the management. He has the right to do his job well and that right carries with it a correlative responsibility. Defend the Department. “We must let the public know that we can do a good job. That is the policy I have pursued and shall continue to pursue. When critics tell me I must clean up this or that I certainly look into it, but my job and your job is largely one of public education on the lines that will enable them to understand the value of the work we are doing and its extensive, far-reaching beneficial effects, on public welfare. I want you to feel that that is a job worth while, and though I hardly expect you to go out, as did the disciples of old, and preach the gospel of the railways to all and sundry, I urge that you should never let a chance go by of defending and speaking for the Department. ... I have made many calls on you that might, at times, have appeared unreasonable; but you have never failed to respond. You have, done great work under very diffficult ‘change-over’ conditions, and I hope that the coming year may be one of just reward, and that it may be one of happiness and. prosperity to all.” Mr/G. S. Lynde, Chief Mechanical Engineer, said that when he came to New Zealand he was astonished at the standard of work which the railways had been able to maintain under the very adverse conditions existing in the old workshops. They now had the finest workshops south of the Line. Other toasts honoured were “The Visitors” and “Superannuated Members.” The speeches were interspersed with vocal items, and the music was supplied by the Hutt Valley Workshops Band.