RAILWAY MANAGEMENT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12164, 16 February 1914, Page 1

RAILWAY MANAGEMENT.

THE GhIXK.RAL MANAOKR SPEAKS. (Per Press Association.) Wellington. I'Vliruary 10. U tli,. \.S.I!.S. li.-iiioiK'i on Salurduv night -Mr lliley. General .Manager of Railways, said that with the railwav business growing as it was. it was obvious that alterations were pending, and were about to be parried out. He used the word -'alterations" advisedly, as some paragruphists had it that "reform.-." were to be carried out. He deprecated (lie use of the word "reform." for it cast a slur on the builders of the Dominion railways service. That - impression for one moment should not. bo allowed to go abroad. In fact, the case was quite the other way. It was. natural, however, that with the growth, of the service improvements nori- necessary, and he asked the co-operation and as .stance of the rnihi'.-iyineu in the .alterations that were to be carried out. He asked that flic rnilwaymc-n should assist the Department with suggestions regarding the working and organisation of the railways, and in a few davs' 1 imp he intended to circularise th© A.S.T..S. ;.nd other railwnynien witlt regard to .setting tip a- Suggestions S'.oard. Tlie idea was not- his own. hut a '-crib'' from tile Great Western Company at Home. So that these would lie properly considered he would like to say at once that he intended to see personally each suggestion that came in from the service. He would not say that he would not turn a groat many of them down, but those In-thought might be useful lie would send on to the Sug-rn-stions Hoard, which would be set up from ofiicers representing the various branches of tin? service. Regarding patents- Itr- intended to make some iin- ■ prove ments. Railwaymen who had patents would in future he ahle to send them on to the Suggestions Board, which would treat tli«m as confidential. —(Applause.l A schema of monetary recognition for the suggestions sent in , hy Ihe men would be considered. Some i"i<_dit not be adaptable, but at anv rate file action oi the s-nders would be recognised, at least bv a letter of thanks from th" Denartmenf. Mr Hilcv "congratulated the Sneioty nn the comrjk-tion of the new buildiii". Sane unionism, he s'aid. as long as ii v.-is sane, could -.lily he for the good of Ihe S.r-iety. So far it had existed or. sane lines, and had .-tuck to its |i|e<l'r.-s agiii«st all temptation?-. lie would five them tl" ' samp counsel .is Sir J. G. Ward hnd done t„ establish j n retail ->tion for reasonableness. Tlo would nlwevs like to open the letter- and fee! I hey contained something he com!.l grant at once, but aftc j ••II ■V- i-ail«;iv- managers wore tied hand and loot by finance.

(I!y Telegraph.l (Slice'i! !o Oamaru ?»rail.> ■ Wellington, i-'ebruary 16. Addressing a banquet attended by the Amalgamated Society of Railway .Servants' delegates from all parts of New Zealand. .Mr Hi ley. the General Manager of Hallways, was more com- i niunicaiivc than he has previously been on any public occasion, lit; outlined an important proposal regarding employees' inventions, gave past managers iiiKliisiliiic-r] praise regarding the upkeep of the rolling stock and the substantial character of the permanent wav^ Tin- Society Pre-ftlent. .Mr \t ilson, paid a cordial tribute to Sir Joseph Ward's work for railwaymen during his Ministerial office. He said they owed to him the .superannuation (scheme, and the minimum wage for married men. The service had got from him more than a patient hearing, lie met their .suggestions in every way possible. Hailwaymen now wanted, not as a privilege, but a- a right, full civil and political liberty. Sir Joseph Ward prophesied that before 15 years \wrc over the railway service, owing to the extension of line.s | and the expansion of business..would . grow to ofl.OOfl men. He gave details I of the increases in pay during his con- J tl oi. applause greeting the figures. I It was announced by Mr Hiley amid great applause that he would establish a Suggestion Ikiard. compose*! of departmental heads, to consider all ideas imt forward by railwaymen for economic working and inventions-, all of which he would see personally. He did not say he would not turn down a good but he would send promising ones to the Board for looking into and carrying out if practicable. Men could send their ideas confidentially, and the Department would assist them in the difficult process; of taking out the patents. He had been reproached for not speaking of the alterations which would be made in the railways. He used the word alterations advisedly, because he. noticed paragraphs hinting at what were called reforms. He objected to this word. It implied a elur on the past management, which was entirely unjustifiable. Innovations must he introduced that were not commercially practicable in the baby stage of tlie. Department. He was glad to- be reminded bv Sir Joseph Ward's speech that he had formerly favored a loan for railway development, and could be j-elied on for co-operation in file House, if another was wanted.