RAILWAY OFFICERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 1, 1 July 1939, Page 18

RAILWAY OFFICERS

MANAGER WELCOMED

VALUE OF GO-OPERATION

An informal visit was paid to the conference of the New Zealand Railway Officers' Institute on Thursday afternoon by Mx\ G. H. Mackley, General Manager of Railways, and the Assistant General Managers, Messrs. E. Gasey and H. Valentine. The visitors were welcomed by the president (Mr. E. W. Barnes). Process by the institute depended upon good relationships between the management and the officers of the Department, he said. IU was, however", a double-way traffic, as the management would admit, and it was essential, if the railways were to progress, that there should be co-operation and good feeling. Throughout 'the discussions at the conference so far, delegates had discussed matters from the Department's viewpoint as well as their own, and that spirit augured well for, the future of the railways. Returning thanks for the welcome, Mr. Mackley said it was important that they should work together harmoniously. He was convinced of the great importance of carrying out the principles embodied in the "Four C's," namely, contact, consultation, co-opera-tion, and confidence. If they worked in the spirit conveyed by those words, nothing but good would result. He would always regard members as his friends, and he had always endeavoured to treat officers as he himself would like to be treated. He left it to those who knew him best to ju<ige him from that particular aspect. PROGRESS FORESHADOWED. Mr. Mackley remarked on the success the railways had achieved during the past three years, and said he believed that at present the service stood higher in the estimation of the public than ever before in the Dominion. It was his sincere belief that they were on the threshold of wonderful progress, and the net revenue during the current year would be, he thought, the greatest ever obtained in the history of the railways. The operating department, too, was better than it had ever been, and these satisfactory results were due to the work of the railwaymen and the improved facilities which the Government had given them. He asked the visiting delegates to take back with them to their various districts a message of good will from the management. Messrs, Casey and Valentine also briefly thanked the conference for the welcome that had been accorded them. Later, members of the conference were entertained at afternoon tea by the management, the executive heads of departments also being present. Mr. Mackley welcomed the guests. On t their behalf, Mr. Barnes responded.