RAILWAY MANAGEMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3806, 22 February 1927, Page 6

RAILWAY MANAGEMENT.

PRIME MINISTER’S VIEWS. WELLINGTON, February IG. The Right lion. J. G. Coates, XJinister of Railways, to-day reported on the result of his observations of the railways and railway management in other countries. He was greatly struck by the splendid controls in operation, particularly in ■Canada and the United States, where divisional control had been so extensively and successfully tried out. “Managerial and operating officers are selected purely on merit,” said the Prime Minister, “and must be men of first-class administrative and organising ability. They arc drawn from any part of the service regardless as to whether their chief training has been in the professional, operating, or traffic branches. My inquiries abroad have gone to show that the reorganised administration of the New Zealand Railways has been carried out on the principles accepted elsewhere as being the most satisfactory, but some modifications can be made which will bring our organisations more into line with the Canadian systems and result in better training in the management for divisional and district officers. It will not be necessary to increase the present number of areas, and the cost of administration will not be larger than it is now. ‘lmproved set; vice’ must be the slogan to counteract the keen competition of the roads. A service must be provided much in excess of the minimum requirements if the successful operation of the department is to be maintained. I am of opinion more can be done in this direction to make railway travel and freight as nearly universal as possible. More powerful locomotives arc essential to reduce the cost of operating heavy freight trains. Steps aro being taken to secure articulated locomotives for use in New Zealand (locomotives, that is, which spread the axle load over an increased length to cope with the lack of bridge strength). New Zealand is just as far advanced as other countries in cutting branch line losses.” Mr Coates is of opinion that one or two of the new six-cylinder Diesel electric units should be secured for trial on some of our branches, as they are giving good service in Canada. They can be worked by a driver and conductor. 'The refreshments services on the New Zealand railways are first class, and much cheaper than in any other country he visited. Mr Coates intends to discuss i with the Department the advisability of its extension of refreshment places.

Men will be selected here to proceed to Canada and Great Britain, and possibly South Africa, to take up the same class of work in those countries for, saw 12 months in exchange for similar officers who will take up duty on the Neiv Zealand railways for similar periods. An improved arrangement has been made also for better liaison between large manufacturing firms in England and our various departments through the High Commissioner's office in London. •Mr Coates found that in all the systems of workshops he investigated in Great Britain the same method of bonus earning was in operation. This was generally discouraged officially by the unions, but at the same time taken full advantage of by the workmen. The basis fixed for payment is by a time limit for each particular job, and that basis is agreed upon by men who have had long practical experience on that work —men who have been actually doing the job. If the employee wishes to maintain the ordinary or basic rate of pay he can do so by simply adhering to the average time schedule, but should he be above the average in efficiency, and desire to do so, he can augment his earnings very considerably. The whole scheme is dependent upon the basis fixed. Mr Coates entirely agrees that the basis should be a fair and reasonable one and enable the average artisan to earn what we now call the standard rate of pay-