GENERAL MANAGER'S RETIREMENT

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 145, 16 December 1924, Page 6

GENERAL MANAGER'S RETIREMENT

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT

ADMINISTRATIVE KEORGANISA-

TION;

An official announcement was madeby the Minister of Railways (the Hon. •J. G. Coates) last night substantiating the forecast madeun yesterday's "Post" thai; a Board, of Management of. three members, with Mr. F. J. Jones <as chairman, would be set up to have charge-of the'administration of the-New Zealand Railways following' the retirement of the' General Manager (Mr. E. W. M'Villy).

The Minister said that he had come to the conclusion some time ago that on the retirement of Mr". M'Villy a. board; consisting of three, '.would provide the most satisfactory form of management to cope with existing railway problems. The step, However, was held in abeyance owing to the decision of the Government to! invite Sir' Sam Fay and Sir Vincent Raven, to investigate the system,', and naturally the' question of management was one,1 that occupied a prominent place-m the order,of reference.

." "The. question,, of Mr.. M'Villy's retirement," continued Mr. Coates, "was deferred at my request until the completion of the Commissioners' report. This has now been received by the Government, and: Mr. : M'Villy's active association with the Department terminated on Friday last; . ■ .. • . "Although full details of the Teport are not yet available for publication, I think, ifc'desirable to1, say that, the Cobk mission has concurred in the proposal to constitute_ a railway board consisting of three trained , railway men capable of bringing the \Nfew Zealand Railways Hip to the average world standard of "cheap and efficient, transport.. The matter \vas referred to Cabinet, which deckled Ho accept" Mr. M'Villy's--. resignation "and form a board on the lines originally proposed by me. • , ; ■ .-.• "'■: "So far only one appointment to the board has been made, that of Mr. F. j. Jones, who Has been appointed . chairman.. Mr. Jones has held the position of Chief Engineer since the retirement of. Mr. M'Lean, and will carry on in ■his new capacity as head of the Department, pending the appointment of the two-remaining members. ;• -;- -.-■'■ ;•■'-- ."I expect to make further statements in regard thereto^in the course of a day or two."-.1 ' .-. ' -..,/ ..' - . ... ■■■-">'

THE CHAIRMAN'S CAREER,

Mr.. F. J. Jones, -M. Inst.> C.E., the chairman of the Board of/Management of the New Zealan* Railways, was born at Dunedin in 1874, and was the son of Captain Frederick Jones, formerly a • ,well-kncwn. Union, Steam Ship' '■ Com-: pany skipper. Educated at the Otago Boys High School, he afterwards attended;. Canterbury- College, '• where:c-he :securedhis engineering education. Jri 1889' he_ joined the Railway Service in Dunedin. in the resident; engineer's branch, and was subsequently engaged in the drafting offices at; Wellington,. Auckland, Christchurch,and Dunedin. In 1900, he was appointed Relieving Engineer,l, arid in 1902 District Engineer at Greymouthi In 1908 he was appointed District Engineer at Wanganui, and in 1914 went to' Auckland as District Engineer, in charge of-new works. Next year he was appointed District Engineer at ..Dunedin;' In 1920 he was appointed Supervising Engineer at Wellington, in 1922 Assistant, Chief Engineer,, and in: 1924 Chief Engineer, succeeding Mr. F. W. M'Lean. Mr. Jones is vice-president of the New Zealand Society of Civil Engineers, and is a committeeman of the Technological ,' Branch of the Philosophical Society. j Recently, Mr." Jones reported' to the Minister on improvements required 'to bring ._.the-: railway• ■ system up-to;date, .and his. conclusions regarding the different proposals formed an important sec- I tidn of the Minister's programme of improvements^ and new works submitted .to Parliament'last session. : . : ' ;, .. EFFECT1. 03?. CHANGES. ' . .-'-, j : The reorganisation of the, system .of. management of the railways raises the question as to what-will? be done" with the positions of First Assistant General > Manager and Second Assistant General .Manager, which were created in January of this year and which are held by, Messrs. J. Mason and H. H. Sterling res-- : pectively.. Up -till the -present,' the" man-' agement in the head office has consisted •^ofthe General Manager, First Assistant General Manager, and Second Assistant General Manager. The. First. Assistant General Manager has been, responsible"' for the whole of the transportation and the commercial branch,' and'the Second; Assistant ..General Manager for the tariff, staff, and general matters. The responsibilities -.appertaining to these positions were fully -defined, and consequently, the General Manager, was relieved of a large amount of work i con-; nected with .those branches .which. occu-J ■ pied a considerable portion of his' time previously. In his last Statement presented to. Parliament .the; Minister said that the results of this. reorganisation .were being watched, and that: changes ■would be made ;if'found by practical working to'be . advantageous. Similar :' steps, he said," had been, taken with re-' gard to :the position..of. Chief Engineer,, wh.ose duties and scqpe of authority had also been .defined. . ' .' ." .'

•"It is anticipated," stated Mr. Coates,. "that by giving a freer, hand and at the same time throWing the full responsibility appertaining to the position ion.'to executive officers,'- much better results will be obtained." ..'■ ;; '■' . '■,'■