RAILWAY SERVICE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21949, 5 November 1934, Page 11

RAILWAY SERVICE

DEVELOPING BUSINESS GOOD SPIRIT OF STAFFS ADDRESS BY MR. E. CASEY "The people of New Zealand should realise what the railways have done for the country," said Mr. E. Casey, act-ing-general manager of railways, addressing the Auckland branch of the New Zealand Railway Officers' Institute on Saturday night. In referring to the prospects of any further restoration of wages to those in the service, he stressed the dependence of any such hope on what business was forthcoming. Speaking personally, and not officially, he hoped relief could be given in the future in various directions. Although a 5 per cent restoration of wages did not represent much as far as the individual was concerned, it involved an addition of £160,000 to the wages bill for the current year. On the question of future business, railway - men would have to redouble their efforts, and go out to get more business. In this connection, the management wished to be "with the team and of the team." It was a settled and defined policy of the present management to make a particular study of any staff problems. The department realised that, jio matter what policy was laid down, it was the men on the road, in all divisions, who had enabled the department to lift the business from the depths of depression. "The railway service is not a dead service, and it never will be," stated Mr. Casey. "It is vital to the country, and it has made it." In connection with the support given the service, they had been told in the past that business methods had not been used. When they were applied, they were told that they were going too far. There were, however, men in the railways with business knowledge second to none. Mr. E. W. Barnes, vice-president of the Dominion organisation of tho institute, said the restrictions in the public service were a sign of the times, but there were many problems to be faced, superannuation, house rentals and salary restoration among them. At the appropriate time it would he necessary to press for the return of more tfyan Jiad heen granted. The speaker considered that railwaymen were vastly underpaid, and he instanced the severe demands which were made upon those in the service. After dealing with several matters of policy, Mr. Barnes referred to the influence of the institute. The society had been built upon high traditions, and it was playing its part well. In any industry at present it was necessary to have an organisation to safeguard the interests of those engaged in the industry. Mr. .T. E. Williams, who presided, referred to the good relationship between the management and the institute, and said the excellent spirit existing augured well for the future. A keener spirit in the service was commented upon by Mr. G. T. Wilson, district traffic manager at Auckland. Few workers who merely drifted along without purpose could be found in the service to-day, while railwaymen now were able to appreciate the worth of their business more than they had done previously. The business of the service was being run as capably as any other business.