The Wanganui Chronicle "Nulla Dies Sine Linea." MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1912. RAILWAY MANAGEMENT.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 12856, 28 October 1912, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle "Nulla Dies Sine Linea." MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1912. RAILWAY MANAGEMENT.

That there is need of reform in the management ,of the public railway service is a matter of common knowledge. For some considerable time dissatisfaction has been rife in the different branches of the service. Officers and men have been —and many of them still are —discontented with tho conditions of their employment, and when a feeling of that sort exists it cannot fail to exercise a detrimental influence on the working of tho service. Unless the employees enter whole-heartedly into their work tho employers —the public— cannot hope to get value for their money. The Massey Government, realising that something must be clone to put matters on a bettor footing, proposes to import an- independent expert^ and to appoint him to,tho position of General Manager, the idea being that such a man would be much better able to. effect tho needed reforms than any officer at present connected, with the service. Wo agree th^t there is a good deal to be said in. f ayouir of the Governijient's proposal: A., iulry-gualified and highrsalaried man brought in from outside would bo ablo to approach? his task entirely independent of all local considerations and quite free from any suspicion of favouritism or prejudice so far as his subordinate officers are concerned. Nevertheless we do not like the idea of going to England or to Canada or anywhero else for a railway expert. Our inclination is to see the New Zealand railways managed by men trained in New Zealand. Things cannot be permitted to go on as they have been going. That is certain. But we are of opinion that the remedy is to bo found within the Dominion. The railway service is a huge commercial undertaking, in which the taxpayers are responsible for tho •'investment of something like thirty millions of capital. Clearly, then, wise planning and able administration are essential to success. In tho past there has been far too much political patronage, and tho result has not been good. The appointment of an independent expert could, and doubtless would, effect some improvement in this respect, even if a "spoils to the victors" party happened to get iiuo power again. But wo aro riot at all sure tho desired end could not be more effectively achieved by placing the control of the railways not in the hands of one highly-paid individual, subordinate oniy to tho Minister, but in those of a responsible Board of experts representing the different branches of tho service, with the Minister as President. Such a Board, armed with the requisite powers, would, >vo believe, be possessed of all the capacity and experience necessary to produco a thoroughly efficient service. The Government proposes to offer £3000 a year for a General Manager. It is doubtful if a man possessed of tho requisite qualifications will bo induced to como for that salary; but even if a really good man could bo got for the money, w? believo that tho same amount spent on a Board of four experts fully conversant with colonial conditions would prove a bettor investment. There is a good deal of truth in the old saying that two heads are better than one, and, obviously, that truth is emphasised when tho proportion is increased by fivo to one, and when four of tho five ar-3 specialists in distinct branches of a great enterprise involving a turnover of between throe and four millions a yea1:. Wo c.ro strengthened in this opinion by a confident belief that there is no lack of talent in tho service. Tho talent 's there, but ifc is not being properly and effectively directed. Men who ought to bo in a position to know say that the cause of tho troublo is that responsib'o officers who are supposed to bo in charge of departments aro hampered and disheartened by a condition of affaire, ea.sily ascertainable, which obtains at headquarters. Tho public interest in tho railways and their management is too big to permit consideration for any particular individual to stand in tho way.

.. c know that responsible officers hold tho opinion that tho chief cau.so of friction could be removed by such a revision of tho duties of tho head-office staff as would give to each officer full responsibility for his particular department, and mako ifc impossible for any officer to overstep tho proper limits of his office. Wo .suggest to tho Minister that boforo Appointing an imported expert, .as at present intended, ho should call the principal officers of the service together and invite them to frankly and freely express their views on tho constitution, personnel, and methods of the headoffico st:ifF. If tho Minister acts on this suggestion ho will, wo believe, discover a better, more economical, and, from tho popular point of view, much more satisfactory solution of the railway nroblem than is likely to bo found in tho appointment of an imported General Manager.