HOLDING THEIR OWN.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 27 February 1928, Page 5

HOLDING THEIR OWN.

RAILWAY ENTERPRISE. GRATIFYING RESULTS. The persistent efforts which are being made by the Railway Department (frequently with gratifying results to the State) to meet the road competition in the transport of goods .and passengers effectively, was outlined at Auckland by M. D. Rodie, commercial manager of the New Zealand Railways, who conveys the impression that some localities at least the Department is getting some of its own back from the roads. A fleet of .13 buses had been placed on the road between Napier and Hastings in opposition to the privately owned transport service, he said, and the 15 months’ operations had been attended with success and had been accompanied by the lowering of train operating costs. The Department was now running a fleet of 30 buses in the Hutt Valley, but it was too early to essay a prediction upon the financial results or of the possible economics in train-running costs. Successful reports were given by Mr Rodie of the establishment of .special local freights in certain areas where figures had been brought down to a basis competitive with road transport services. Butter, cheese, benzine, and general goods were effected, and the figures showed that the railways were holding their own in many districts, and in .others they were gradually recapturing, the bulk of the business.