THE RAILWAYS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 147, 23 June 1924, Page 3

THE RAILWAYS

TASK OF MANAGEMENT

INTERESTING ADDRESS BY MR

R. W. M'VILLY

The delegates attending the annual conference of the Railway Officers^ Institute were tendered a smoke concert on Saturday night by the, local members of the institute. There was a largo attendance, and during the evening a, number of interesting speeches were delivered. Amongst those present were the Geneval Manager (Mr. R. W. M'Villy) and Mr. T. M. Wilford M.P.

In proposing, the toast of "The Management," Mi-. J. E. Robertson, president of the institute, said that the revenue of the railways was now close on seven millions and the expenditure five and a half millions. The tonnage carried was seven millions, and the passengers carried over thirteen millions. It was a huge concern to which they belonged, and they were proud of their General Manager both in regard to his management of the railways and in regard to. his treatment of the staff. It was difficult for people- without inside knowledge to fairly criticise the Department, especially as the railways were in the first place not run on a commercial basis at all. and the General Manager had a difficult and uphill fight. The railways were put down by past political parties to serve the country, and sometimes party influence came "in. He paid a. tribute to the fairness of the General Manager in his treatment of the staff.

GENERAL MANAGER'S REPLY.

In replying to the toast, Mr. M'Villy, General Manager, alluded to the presence of several officers who had retired, and added that perhaps they would presently be paying to him that he ought to "hop off." He emphasised the importance of attention to duty and hard work in order to gain promotion in the service. On the work of the officers, he added, depended their progress. It was no pleasure' for a, responsible officer to keep men back, for his job was to try and get the best men' through to the top. Those present represented one of the most important Departments in the Public Service, for on the railways depended the industry and commerce of the country. He said they had heard a lot about mismanagement when things went wrong, but little about the good work done; They were told that the railways ought to be" run -on business lines, but what were business lines? A business was something that one put money into, and was run for personal profit. They could not run the railways for personal'profit, but they were run for the profit of the State. And he said, with all humility^ with 45 years in the service, that the"railways of this country, having regard to the "policy on which they were run, and to the circumstances under which they were created, performed a very useful service to the country. When they came to look at the results of operating over a series of years, what did they find? First, they were told to get 3 per cent. They nevei failed to get it, and always got more. Then the policy altered, and they were told to get 3^ per cent. It was true that during the war they had two or three bad years, but they could not judge an institution on .two or three bad or good years.

COMPETITION OP MOTOR TRAFFIC.

Looking over a period of years, they would, find that -the railways had not only paid the full policy interest on capital and expenditure, but they had given to the Consolidated Fund £1.600,000 in excess of that. The railways, were now picking up again, notwithstanding the motor competition. Roads were being built all over the country in competition with the railways, and the railways were carrying thousands of tons of road material every year at a rate which did not pay for the coal to take it over the line. Their job was to carry out the policy of the Railway Department, but the Department should not be asked to subsidise roads to be used in competition with them. In spite of existing conditions, the North Island hues paid £6 10s 6d per cent. In' the South Island, with level roads and much poor country and sparse population, the railways paid £2 2s Bd. The South had been a burden on them, but past policy had decided where lines should be laid down.

Mr. M'Villy said that his job had been to run the show, and he had done it to the best o£ his ability. From the time he joined the service, he had given the best that was in him. Alluding to the advancement of officers in the Department, Mr. M'Villy said there ■' was no high road to success except by hard work.

Mr. H. H. Sterling, Second Assistant General Manager, also responded, and said that matters of staff would be mainly dealt with by him in future. H6 emphasised the need for co-operation amongst the whole of the staff.

In responding to the toast of Parliament, Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P., said lie believed every member of Parliament fried to do his best for the country, and he asked those present to uphold inemj bers of Parliament rather than deride ■ them. He alluded to the assistance he ; had given to Sir Joseph Ward in obtainI ing superannuation for the niembers of i the railway service. Mr. AVilford ro-fiu-red tv the limited number of members of Parliament who had what might be regarded as an adequate knowledge of railway matters. By educating memibera tlio members of the service would ' get better results for the public and for . themselves.

• A number of other toasts were proposed and responded, to, and an enjoyable musical programme was provided.