RAILWAY CONTROL

Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1593, 8 January 1925, Page 5

RAILWAY CONTROL

OFFICERS' VIEW OF CHANGES

"The appointment of a board to control'the activities of the railways does not, in itself, constitute a verygreat departure from the system previously existing in the Department, as it would appear that, broadly speaking, the board will retain the essential features which existed prior to its formation, namely, a General Manager, and two assistant Genera] Managers," states the Railway Officers' Advocate.

"The result of the proposal to appoint two officers, one for the North Island and one for the South Island, and to give them fairly wide power and responsibility will, however, be keenly awaited by the officers of the Service. A number of years ago something of this nature was attempted insofar as the traffic branch was concerned. A traffic superintendent was appointed in each Island, but, after several years' trial, the positions were abolished, it being found that the efficiency of the administration of the Department had not been increased. But the comparative failure may ha,ve been due to the fact that, in addition to their duties as traffic superintendents, the gentlemen occupying the positions mentioned had also to carry out the duty of traffic manager of a large district —Wellington in the North Island and Dunedin in the South Island. In addition, they did not then, as present-day traffic managers do, have the assistance of an A.D.T.M.

"As yet nothing definite has been announced regarding the responsibilities to be undertaken by the officers it is proposed to appoint, but, presumably, they will in effect be area commissioners, and all branches of the Department (in the Island to which each is appointed) will be under their control. If this assumption is correct and suitable officers are selected for the positions,- it is quite possible that the experiment—it is only that at present—may be successful."