Mr. F. J. Jones, Chairman of the Railway Board, was born in 1874, and 15 years later joined the Service as a Cadet in the Resident Engineer's Office at Dunedin.

In the next five years he was located successively at Oamaru, Wellington and Auckland, at the latter city becoming a Draftsman in 1894. He was appointed to the position of Assistant Engineer at Dunedin in 1899, and later transferred to Wellington.

In 1901, Mr. Jones was promoted to the position of District Engineer at Greymouth, and later filled similar positions at Wellington, Wanganui, Auckland and Dunedin. He became Supervising Engineer at Wellington in 1920, Assistant Chief Engineer in 1922, and Chief Engineer in 1924, becoming the Chairman of the Railway Board in December of the same year.

It is worthy of note that Mr. Jones carried through the whole course of his professional studies while in the Department's service. He is now a member of the Institute of Civil Engineers, London, member and Past-President of the New Zealand Society of Civil Engineers, and also holds the rank of Honorary Colonel and Director of Railways with the Defence Department.

The career of Mr. Jones from the position of cadet at £30 per annum to the leading place in the Railway Service is one to stimulate to high endeavour every youth entering the Department.

A determination to thoroughly understand everything that he had to deal with has characterised our Board Chairman from the day he entered the Service, and this coupled with industry and sound common sense, qualified him, when the time came, for filling with distinction the highest controlling position in the Public Service of the Dominion.

Mr. J. Mason, operating member of the Railway Board, joined the Service in 1889 as a Cadet in the Traffic Branch, and was first placed in the Auckland Goods Office.

He was later located at various stations in the Auckland District including Onehunga, Helensville, Newmarket and Frankton, receiving a thorough training in all the phases of station work. He was later placed in charge of the outward invoicing at Auckland Goods, and from there was transferred to Whangarei, where he was initiated into District Office work affecting all Branches of the Service, including control of the transport for that section.

In 1906 Mr. Mason was taken into the office of the District Traffic Manager at Auckland where he had charge of the staff work for some years. This was followed by a course of train running work and other senior officer duties.

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During the war Mr. Mason was offered by the Defence Department the position of Assistant Director of Recruiting for the Dominion, for which appointment he had been recommended by the General Manager. This work called for organising capacity of a high order, but Mr. Mason proved equal to the occasion, and, upon completion of his work there at the conclusion of the war, was highly complimented by the Defence authorities.

On resuming duty with the Railway Department, Mr. Mason was placed at the Head Office, Wellington, and performed various duties there, including the defence of the Department's actions in connection with the various promotions and supercessions which followed the 1919 general regrading of the First Division.

In 1922 Mr. Mason was appointed one of the two Commercial Agents of the Department, which position he occupied until, upon the reorganisation of the Service in 1924 he was made First Assistant General Manager, and later, when a Board of Management was placed in control of Railway affairs, he became a Member of the Board.

Mr. A. W. Mouat, commercial member of the Railway Board, joined the service of the Wellington-Manawatu Railway Company, Limited, in September, 1890, as Junior on the staff of the Traffic Manager, and occupied various positions with the Company, attaining to that of Traffic Clerk at the end of seven years' service.

He was then appointed Storekeeper, and for the next four years dealt with matters pertaining to the purchase of stores and material, and their distribution for use.

In 1901 Mr. Mouat took up the duties of Bookkeeper in charge of the commercial books and accounts of the Company, and in 1905 was appointed their Assistant Traffic Manager.

In December, 1908, on the acquisition by the Government of the Wellington-Manawatu Line Mr. Mouat transferred to the staff of the N.Z. Railways and was appointed to a position in the office of the Traffic Superintendent at Wellington.

In 1914 he was transferred to the Head Office, and in April, 1915, was appointed Chief Clerk there.

After occuping this position until 1920 Mr. Mouat was transferred on promotion to the post of Assistant Chief Traffic Manager, and while occupying this position he represented the Department on a number of Boards set up in 1920 and 1921 to inquire into wages and conditions of work of the different branches of the Railway Staff.

In February, 1924, on the re-organisation of the Department, the Office of the Chief Traffic Manager was abolished and Mr. Mouat was placed as District Traffic Manager at Auckland.

In January, 1925, in consequence of Mr. J. Mason (a Member of the Board) going abroad, Mr. Mouat was made Acting Member of the Board, a position he has held continuously until his present appointment.

Mr. Mouat's wide range of knowledge and experience, including competitive conditions under private railway working, eminently fits him for membership on the Board of Control.

Some Notions about Business Agents; What They Do and Are, and How They Do It.

(By “The Optimist.”)

They are the men who explain things.

They bring business to, and develop appreciation of, the Department.

They improve the public attitude towards the Department.

The Business Agents are like the Huma, the bird that never settles.