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In Quest of Business.
Acting Minister opens Second Annual Conference
of Business Agents.
Some Of The Speeches.

The Second Annual Conference of Railway Business Agents opened on 10th February, 1927. The following is a brief outline of the opening speeches.

Mr. Jones (Board Chairman), in introducing the Hon. Minister to the Conference, remarked that, although the Commercial Branch Staff was small numerically, its operations were of great importance to the service. Referring to Railway matters generally, Mr. Jones said: “I would like to voice my personal appreciation and the appreciation of the Board at the uniformly courteous manner in which Mr. Rolleston has dealt with all matters which have been before him. Mr. Rolleston is first of all a gentleman; and I and my colleagues thoroughly appreciate his clear perspective, and the clear logical judgment he has brought to bear on railway affairs. I think we all appreciate the fact that Mr. Rolleston has interested himself in our doings, as evidenced by the fact of his coming here this morning to open this Conference.

Mr. Mouat (Commercial Member of the Board) said: On behalf of the Commercial Branch, Mr. Rolleston, I should like to express appreciation of your action in sparing the time to attend the opening of this Conference. This is the first Conference of the Business Agents of the Commercial Branch during the time you have held the Portfolio of Railways. The Agenda Paper will indicate that the subjects we are dealing with are ones which, in a general way, are of Dominion-wide interest.

I do not think there is any good purpose in my enlarging further on the various subjects noted for discussion. I would just like in conclusion to associate myself very heartily with what the Chairman has said in regard to your treatment of the Board in the matters which have come before you during your regime as Minister of Railways, and would now ask you to say a few words and declare the Conference open.

Hon. Mr. Rolleston: “Mr. Jones, Mr. Mouat and Gentlemen: I should like to express my pleasure at the invitation which you have given to me to be here to meet you and open your Conference. I accepted the invitation with a considerable amount of pleasure. Some of you, not all, I have had the pleasure of meeting during the last few months and I have followed the activities of your particular branch with very great interest and attention. It has been a source of great satisfaction to me, as Acting Minister, to read every month the report of your activities, and to see how the Commercial Branch is working and striving to get back, in some cases, the business, and in other cases to get new business for the Department. I realise, and I am sure you all do, that your own efforts in this direction could not achieve success were it not for the co-operation of all other Branches of the Service, from the Members of the Board down. I think without any doubt that the Commercial Branch of the Railways has achieved very considerable success. A considerable amount has been done, but I am sure you all realise that more still remains to be done and it may be that increased competition in the future will mean redoubled efforts on your part to keep the flag flying. I think I can safely say that the changed attitude of the public and the increasing popularity of the railways is in large measure due to the way in which the Commercial Branch has set about meeting the business sections of the community and entering into their difficulties and endeavouring in a whole-hearted way to solve them.

I do not think it is necessary for me to stress the value of a Conference such as this and I do not propose to touch on any particular page 23 item contained in your Agenda paper. They are all, of course, equally important, but the value of meeting in a Conference like this and exchanging opinions cannot be over-estimated, and I am sure the result will be of very great benefit, not only to the Service but to the individuals here as well.

There is one matter which Mr. Jones touched on that I appreciate more than I am able to say, and that is the expressions of good will to myself, which were also repeated by Mr. Mouat. I say this in all sincerity, that the five months I have been Acting Minister of Railways has been a period of very great pleasure to me; I have liked the work and it has been the greatest possible pleasure to meet so many of the railway servants of this Dominion. Unfortunately, I have not been able to meet as many as I should have liked, and being in an “Acting” position I have not been able to do much more than “carry on,” but I want to say this: that when the time comes (as it comes to all) when we have played cur part and leave the stage of public life, I would like to assure you gentlemen there is no happier recollection that I shall carry away than that of my association with the members of this great Service. I wish you all success and good luck in the future, both individually and collectively, and have now much pleasure in declaring the Conference open.

Mr. Rodie (Commercial Manager): Honourable Sir, Mr. Jones, Mr. Mouat and fellow members: I wish to express the appreciation of the Commercial Branch for the expressions, of appreciation that have been made regarding our activities. We feel that it is the close touch permitted between the Commercial Branch and the Management that has spurred us on to the highest endeavour; we feel we are the eyes and ears of the Management; we are the interpreters of public opinion; we go out to every corner of the Dominion to find out the position, and are able to express to the Management what is taking place. There is one point on which, we flatter ourselves, we have had a considerable measure of success, and that is in retaining traffic. This success is due to the fact that while we get in touch with new, and keep in touch with present clients, we never let go of anyone who has deserted us. Churches have their revival meetings; so do we. We go around amongst the men who have left us and in that way we have drawn many back to the fold.

I have to thank you gentlemen for the appreciation you have expressed and I can assure you of the utmost endeavour on behalf of the Commercial Branch to forward the success of any schemes we may be entrusted with.