NEW RAILWAYS MANAGER.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 12856, 30 October 1912, Page 5

NEW RAILWAYS MANAGER.

A YOUNG MAN WANTED

FIVE YEARS' ENGAGEMENT.

PUBLIC DEMANDS A CHANGE

(By Telegraph.) (Special to "Chronicle.'")

WELLINGTON, October 29

His proposals regarding the appointment from abroad of a new General Manager for the State railways were explained by the Minister of Railways in the House.of Representatives this evening.

Hon. Mr. Hen*ies said he believed in encouraging native- industry, but it was useless to overlook the fact that there had been intense dissatisfaction throughout the country w-jth the management of the railways. He believed that there wero in the service faithful and true servants of the country who were doing their best according to their views, as in any other State Department. The dissatisfaction expressed by the public might be undeserved, but there was no doubt that it existed. Had he shown himself on one of the previous day's race trains, he would have run the risk of beinT lynched. Ho did not show himself.

An Hon. Member: Wiss man

Continuing, the Minister said that even those members who wero loudest in their condemnation of the proposal to import o, General Manager suggested that the Zealander whom they considered should bo appointed should- be srnt to the United Kingrloni airi the United States to learn how the railways wero run in thoso countries.

"Wo propose to ask tlio High Commissioner to call for opnliont'ons." Mr. TTernes cxnlninod. "We shall ask him to interview tho applicants, and to report to us which of thorn is most suit- j I'hlo. I believe a great deal in the j interview, because, taking tetsimonials ! to bo equal, it is most important to fret a man who has not an abrupt manner, and who has tact, and it is only by a personal interview that these- \ rery de- i sirablo qualities can be ascertained. I j have suggested to the High Commis- j sioner that if it is possible to arrange : for some reliable person to interview • them, applicants should bo invited in : Canada. Wo believe that the Canadian ' system might be more productive of good men than England. We know ' we cannot get a first-class man, but we are assured that a young man who has graduated through a traffic department can be secured for £3000 a year—probably the district manager of a fairly , large section of one of the great railways in the United Kingdom or in Canada. An -Hon. Member: What do you call a young man ? I Hon. Mr. Herries explained that he I meant a man of - thirty or thirty-five years. Mr. Russell (Avon): Do you think a | man who had managed oniv a section would havo wido experience? _ Hon. Mr. Herries: I think so. Con- j tinning, ho said that tho Government ; proposed to engage a traffic man. not a maintenance or locomotive- man. From his knowledge of tho railways, he was convinced that it was the traffic department which required most management. Ho hoped the House would agree to try the experiment. Tho salary pronosed would bo "not exceeding £3000," , and tho engagement would bo for five years. Mr. Herries reminded tho House that the same pronosal wns part of tho policy of the Macken7.:e Ministry, and 1 when two 'Ministers of Railways 'agreed upon such a proposal there must bo foundation for asking; the Houso to apj proyo it. Sir Josoph Ward (Awnrna)'said ho ! thought a mistake was being made in importing a man for tho position to which men trained in the service had looked for fivo or tc?n years. Hon. Mr. Herries: You imported a Defence expert. Sir Joseph Ward said that was necessary until New Zealanders were educated. Ho referred to eight men of wide : experience already in tho service who i wero being passed by for an imported man. There was Mr. McVillr, who.had ; been next to the General Manager for .; several years. He had been 33 years in i tho service and had risen from the : bottom to tho top rung of the ladder. Thero was Mr. Piper, who had been 40 years in the service, and who was a successful traffic manager. Others were Mr. Bowles, district traffic manager at , Auckland, and 35 years in the service- | Mr. Mouat (who had been with the Manawatu Company and had seen twenty years service); and Mr. J. McDonald (3o years ln the service and now stationmaster at Thorndon). Coming to tho technical men. he left out Vr Beattie as ho was on tho point of retiring, hut there was Mr. Jackson rthe local engineer at Dunedin). Mr, Melntosh (inspeot--11lf fi 1"^ 1"' 30 r*fcre *n tho service), and Mr. H. McAndrew (who had 32 yeurr service). fn?£\)? fye-rS cx Pres^l his difference tiom tho views put forward by Sir Joseph Ward and associated himself alI SV Ort, enw relyn7ith T,tho viewa « PM «Bed »« tho Hon. Mr. Herries, whom he rei forred to as a highly capable man