PUT FOR BUSINESS

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 76, 27 September 1927, Page 11

PUT FOR BUSINESS

RAILWAY AGENTS

POPULARISING THE- &AIL

:■ Extensions of, the.present !«j;?tern on tS 6; c^ mmeroiar-side^of -fh"e; Working 'of the -Dominion's railways' '-are' discussed the' Minister in" W: Railways Statement, presented in' the' House- of Representatives""to-dayi '-" "■■■•■'■ • - V The /Minister (the' Right :Hon.^ & Goatea) states HhafW feels sure r that many^. of - the methods ■muse on the: Canadian and American railroaas-carilje anauguratea here, and will be welcomed ;by the .travelling publicr-iiria* business community. Passenger andfreight work. wUI be separate^ Oncers especially selected to attend to- all. passenger; requirements -wilL.be.appointed at the mam centres,and "it".will" be their, dutyvto..meet tourists..on arrival, and see that •opportunity- ia- given, them to utilise > to the best advantage the -time at their disposal. .An, arrangement.-has been entered into with T the Postal "Department whereby ,the mail agents on the mail-boats between, Australia, New Zealand,: Vancouver, and San>Francisco can act as representatives .of.; the Railway Department in assisting-passengers bound_for the Dominion to frame itiner-; anes .including^a' :maximuni"<amount, of rail, travel. The ageiits wifi> communicate by radio with the rSil>ay-;passen-ger agents at. the port of arrival. ; -The latter will take, the tourists >in hand and see them safely, on their\way- (giving- particular attention ..to -the;- cKecklng of luggage and train; aecommoda^ •tion reservations), ensuring r*fr..the same time, that every other ;V courtesy andfacility available to the travelling, public is extended to-, them.'. The passenger ■agents will alsokeep, in "close- personal touch with, all,- public and generally, occupy their timean influencing people to travel by rail. "Visitors to North America arc generally very much impressed with the high standard of service rendered by these passenger agents," says-the Minißter, "and, seeing that w,e are now doing so much to attract tourists from other parts of the world, I feel sure that the innovation is along sound lines, and will be very successful in Now Zealand. " i --i -

;PBEI(?HX POSSIBinTIBBi

■ ',■.."Steps.'are- being' taKen^aisb :tb 'increase the number of .freight agents 'in order that more attention/may lie given to motor -and the securing of new .business. Freight.-agents^ each of whom will be,allotted,a'special phase of the work of securing business,- some' in the .'main centres '<and others f6? 'tHeeouiitry. districts, '■■ willt bewth-ftWughly. coached in .the w;ork 'of. business-getting: find fully ;charged i .Trithi.the latest ideas and informati'on-jto -.enable them to se-: ,cure the: attention:; and-Tespectiof-the; . Department^s; clients. • ■ ••.Their-v duties will include.the preparation-of'derailed reports regarding -the; f reightl p&ssibili--ties of -tlieirvirespectiveiaiea^'-fh'eSbeM method of -transport, to «ope- therewithand the reasons for. existing: competition. ■< Generally they?will?be,expe(ite'd to jossessi'fullviinfprinatibn '%& tb-tlie ■: transport .potentiaUtiesiof ~th'e:■districts in whichcthey are '-'stationed. "■' :- : J

■ .C.io.sely.,associated, .with, bttt-'distanet i■•.feo™>.■.*Ve^ac'tiyj_tiel■^oS-.the.'l!■omm"e^<Bal' b.raiich..is..|he questioni.ofj-efficient.pub-f. lieityVand".- propaganda-, •work-,.-covering railway operations within; : the< -Dbmin-' ion.'. This,will.be.co-ordinatediwith-.:th le Goyerhment Publicity Board, the func-. tipns of which aje, priaoipßlljT^foif the propagation in'.'.othei'. countries'pf'pub;licity regarding" the' DbminioK!? To enable this wprk to he carried but in the most: efficient manner; a publicity f bXajifih• is {being': established, :as pecasiori: f eqtl£resf;by .trainia" pup'licV! ity 'experts" and;journalists; a^d gbba' use' will;be mado^of the- irt talent \. of the present railways advertising branch. !T,ho 'publicity ..' Wijli; co-operate, -■*l°sely;J(Wt!lJr'th'|.:j!pm^r^^l."kid^opera-^ tipris "p'rtoChes,'so thtii 'tHq"??': may, tie'a Jhoroiigh-gbihg cprrolatipn of ideas a'ndV their execution.': 1-'"'..•'■• : '." ' .- '

. ■,;' ' With competition 'playing' ?o large .a: .parkin ■rtrans|ibrt;ajKpn..'aff(i).rs,.J,f;the r itJnister'^tate's;:'.' tWifiii-itiy ,'manage-/ ,nient must' recogifise'that''th"o provision of the .< establishme,n^.; of• ;per ; s9nal contact -with. freighte>s 'aha f ,traye]lers,, ,th b • creation; of af dpn&ncj:"f.6 & transp rbr|,.' and tho. means'of "transport, are!' iujjei;•clppicnaerit parts of 'brie 1 process;-:' jh'esp! branches', c&ji ■be^mutuaily'.'helpfui. in the ' supply ;of information "that,'.will (assist each in the;'wbfk"of'.attracting,' helping, ana pleasing all thosp who.haye need; bf.;the facilities .^he' >ailways '. c^ri offer."' ': .--■■'■-: - .'•' ■-;- ■-;'::'/:*:'■ ■■■_- '■ ::'

;The 'Minister proposes to havp * ail !possible aVeriues.flf fuifthdt:.Goyornineht aayertising business^fully-J e?plorea.;':::