THE RAILWAY SERVICE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20354, 10 March 1928, Page 9

THE RAILWAY SERVICE.

BOARD OF MANAGEMENT. RETIREMENT OF CHAIRMAN. (Special to Daily Times.) WELLINGTON, March 9. Mr F. J. Jones lias asked to be retired from the position of chairman of the Railway Boaid Of Management from th e end of tha current financial year this month. It is understood that the retirement has been accepted and will take effect from the date mentioned. Whether or not this development will mean a cexwplete change of the personnel of the board is not Vet known. The other members are Mr J. Mason and Mr A. W. Moaat, neither of whom, as far as can he ascertained, has followed the line of action adopted by Mr Jones. A straight-out resignation by an officer in the railway service with under 40 years’ service would have an adverse effect on superannuation benefits, but officers with over 35 years’ service are allowed to apply to be retired. Mr Jones's record of service extends over a period of 39 years.

The retirement of Mr Jones should not be construed to foreshadow the reorganisation or the abandonment of the present method of control of th e railway service. Any.doubts on that score will be removed by reference to' the very definite statements of the Prime Minister and Minister of Railways (Mr J. G. Goates) in last year's Railway Statement. While abroad Mr-Coates examined the systems he passed over in the United States, Canada, and Great Britain, in all of which countries the effect of competition in some form or other was exercising the minds of the management. “ It woutH, of course, be idle to say that there is nothing to learn from the railways of other countries,” said the Prime Minister. “To go fully into the ramifications of a huge railway enneein employing staffs in Home cases of over 250,000 provides unending opportunity of appreciating what sound organisation and business ability can achieve. The general organisation of these large systems provides one with guidance regarding the best method to adopt in a young and rapidly developing country like Now Zealand, and the impressions gained fro mpeisonal inquiry in Canada and the United States leave no doubt in my mind that the system of executive management and divisional control contemplated a« the outcome of the recommendations of the Fay-Raven Commission will be just as successful in New Zealand as in those countries that have been able definitely to prove its value. When it is remembered that the system was of necessity superimposed on the old order until such time as the essential changes could be brought gradually into effect, there is no doubt that very good work has been done. The initial steps have been most carefully watched, and the experience gained indicates that we can confidently proceed along the lines of the policy laid down and thus eventually obtain 'full decentralisation, and a, continuity of self-reliant and able administrative officers.”