SOUTH A BURDEN.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 2403, 23 June 1924, Page 4

SOUTH A BURDEN.

MR McVILLY ON THE RAILWAYS.. HINT AT EARLY RETIREMENT. [Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, Last Night. The Railway Officers' Institute con - ference concluded on Saturday, and a social was held in the evening, presided over by Mr R. W. McVilly, general manager. In the course of his remarks, Mr Robertson, president of tho Institute, stated that in his three and a-half years of office he had, always received every courtesy at the hands of Mr McVilly. When ho wa# able to grant requests he had don# so, and when he had been unable, be had always given his reasons. Members of the Institute could co-operate with the General Manager -without sacrificing their principles in any way. He was one whom they should assist Mr McVilly stated that after 45 years’ service he could say, having regard to the policy under which they were run and the special circumstances created —he did not create thorn —the Railways performed useful service, in spite of mismanagement!. In the ‘North Island, where the principal railway business was, they had a chance to run things, and had paid £C 10/6 per cent. In the South Island, with its level roads, much poor country, and sparse population, they had paid £2 2/6 per cent. The South had been a burden to them, and She Department was not responsible for the policy that decided where the lines should be laid down. If, at the end of the year, things were bad, it was said to be mismanagement. Mr McVilly said I:# had received valuable support from officers, mentioning Messrs Sterling, Buxton, and Bevin, and what he had done they could do. Mr McVilly also hinted that it would not be long before he would be retiring.

Mr Sterling said from the manager down, they were all a management staff.