RAILWAY CHANGES

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 145, 16 December 1924, Page 4

RAILWAY CHANGES

The far-reaching changes made by Mr. Coates in the Railway Department have taken place suddenly. The Ministerial announcement of the General Manager's resignation is made only to-day, although the Manager's active association, with the foepartment terminated on Friday, afad a ftailway Board chairman had since been appointed to commence duty. It appears either that the announcements have been or that the changes have been rushed; and the Minister would be well advised to make a comprehensive statement which will remove any public suspicion of precipitate "action. His brief statement to-day quotes a recommendation from, the report of the Railways Commission, but the complete report is " not yet available for publication." Untill it is, and. until the Minister explains more fully.than he has done hitherto the powers and duties of the new Board of Management, it is impossible jfor the public to. judge the effect of the change's. We'are told, for fexample, that the Commission approves the appointment of the Board, but hot whether that approval is subject to , the abolition of political control. Nor has any statement been made as to the division of duties of the three Board members—whether, as is reported, it is proposed to separate the North and South Island railway systems. We assume that the Minister has not taken the important steps so far'announced without having resolved upon a Complete plan of action, and it is due to the public that some further information should be given regarding that plan. ,

The retirement of. Mi\ M'Viiiy from the General Managership undoubtedly involves far-f backing changes'in the departmental or^gai isation. Mr. M'Villy has bgeii^for so long, a principal officer/that his resignation must leave,a;gap. He has been in his time, subjected to much ; criticism, often unjustly, because he has declined' to depart from the traditional Civil Service rule aiid seek publicity, even to defend himself. Only in his annual .reports to Parliament has he revealed the difficulties under w.hich he has worked-. Study of these ieports shows that the management has had to contend with trying political problems—to endeavour to satisfy the politicians who called loudly for business inaflagement and yet refused to discard the rules of service whioh were framed upon political rather than business considerations. It will be. found in lattt; yeai-Sj we are sure, that Mr. M'Villy has done splendid work in building up-.the railway service under most difficult conditions. We trust that his successor, or successors, will not have to face sim-' ilar difficulties.'•