PUBLIC—AND WHY NOT POPULAR?

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 123, 27 May 1930, Page 8

PUBLIC—AND WHY NOT POPULAR?

Germany's reputation for organising power, and particularly for organising to prevent overlapping and waste, has been such as to create an impression that there, if anywhere, motor traffic would be coordinated with the railways, which are largely State-owned. Yet yesterday's cablegrams place the annual loss on the Gentian railways at over twenty millions sterling, 'due to motor competition. To what extent the ' loss has been sustained in passenger traffic, and to what extent in goods traffic, is not clear. In most countries it is the passengers who have led the march from railway to road, and it is the recovery of passenger traffic that presents the greater difficulties. That the New Zealand Railways Department is not taking misfortune lying ddwn is proved ,by abundant new moves in passenger services, including the night expresses between Wellington and New Plymouth, the prolongation of the running period of the "Dayliglit Limited" on the Main Trunk, and the establishment ofv a fast "limited" service between Auckland and the tourist centre, Rotorua, with two entirely new trains providing "a luxury ride at a low cost." The General Manager, of Railways reports this month that " a general improvement in long-distance passenger traffic has resulted from the increased facilities afforded in the last year or two for "more frequent through transport'between the principal centres." Every New Zealand taxpayer (arid every New Zealander is a, tax-, payer directly or indirectly) should be supremely concerned in the Railway Department's effort to defend his pocket, and this1 sympathy should be made practical. Mr. Sterling appeals to the public for active as well as passive sympathy:

I believe, that much moro could.be dono by business people, and travellers generally, to mako tho railways a better paying investment, if. they would rearrange their travel schedules in'thisand other, areas in- lino, with the .train, connections now available. .For, oven if the national- aspect is left out of account, I feel sure that much of tho "present long-distanco- travel by road is taken without duo. consideration of tho greater sfafoty and generally' superior, convenience'in. travel which the' railways, offer.- The railways have a host of friends, and I should like the^o'.to use their influence amongst ■ their associates to bring more of: this kind of traffic to the rail. ~

It is true that the railways have many friends, but not all of them realise that the best way in which: a shareholder can help his company is to trade with it. -The railways are a public service, and can £gain be. made a popular one.