The Waipa Post. Published on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. TUESDAY, MAY 16, 1922. NEW RAILWAY POLICY.

Waipa Post, Volume XX, Issue 1243, 16 May 1922, Page 4

The Waipa Post. Published on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. TUESDAY, MAY 16, 1922. NEW RAILWAY POLICY.

THE curious feature about Mr Massey's promulgation at Feilding of a new railway policy is that the past administration of the Railway Department itself- is being impeached. And Mr Massey, as political head of the ruling party, must bear the brunt of his own indictment. Perhaps he now realises that the management has been so , ; unprogressive, so unbusiness-like, and so steeped in red-tape as to be impossible of justification, and that the easiest escape for him is to follow the line of least resistance and incline to the demands advanced by those who believe that complete renovation is essential if that improvement is to be brought about which the exigencies of the situation so imperatively demantl. The Minister therefore proposes to set up a board r* expert railway men, consisting of representatives of the traffic, maintenance, and locomotive branches, to assist the general manager, and also to appoint business agents—one in each island —whose business will be to get into touch with railway users. We do not pin much faith upon this ' expert board" providing a panacea for all the ills to which our railway system is heir, as it will be as much susceptible to political control as the general manager himself, and it is quite conceivable, in the light of past experience, that problems will frequently arise causing efficiency to be sacrificed on the altar of political expediency. That is a common and seemingly insurmountable phase of political control of State commercial enterprises. We entertain greater faith for success of the "business agents," one of whom is to be appointed in each island. But even here their utility is dependent upon the goodwill of the ministerial and head offiaes in Wellington. That there is a large field in which they cou'M exercise their energy and enterprise is undoubted. Their appointment removed the reproach that an institution with a capital of forty millions does nothing to bring in new business, and has no special organisation to canvass for passenger and goods traffic and to keep itself in close touch win the wishes and complaints o:' its customers. The new officials will be appointed to establish and maintain that contact, the necessity for which no private railway company would question. Much depends upon the ability of the«:e men and the backing they get at headquarters. They could be assisted to a great extent by local committees of business men, with whom they should confer periodically. This is a matter that chambers of commerce should consider. But, primarily, the success of the new departure depends on the Minister of Railways himself. Freed of political interference, we uulieve both the expert board and the business agents could achieve a large measure of success, as this step opens the way to a general improvement in railway methods. Progress;, enterprise, and freedom from red-tape must be the underlying characteristics if the new administration is to apply itself diligently and intelligently to the problems confronting it and to make the railways meet the reasonable requirements of its users. In that connection we require a/ reversal of the recent policy, which seemed to be based on the fallacious principle that the people were created for the railways. The railways must be run in the interests of the country as a whole. Commer-

cial and industrial requirements alone should predominate; political interference should be relegated to that oblivion from which it should be in no danger of resurrection. Until* that is brought about the service will never reach that standard of efficiency which is so essential to its success as a commercial concern.