382 History of Inland Transport 



the control of the district goods manager. The station master, 

 in turn, has authority over the signalmen, porters and lamp- 

 men at his station, just as the goods agent has authority over 

 the local goods department. The chain of responsibility thus 

 works out as follows : 



Station staff. Goods staff. 



Station master. Goods agent. 



District superintendent. District goods manager. 



Superintendent of the line. Chief goods manager. 



General manager. 

 Committees of the board. 

 Chairman and full board. 



While the control through the board of directors and the 

 general manager is complete yet, at the same time, it would be 

 impossible to keep pace with the rapidity with which business 

 is done at the present day unless the district officers were 

 able to act on their own responsibility in those cases where 

 time did not permit of matters going through the usual 

 routine, and for that reason the district officers of a company 

 like the London and North- Western are capable men who are 

 able, and are encouraged, to take full responsibility when it is 

 necessary for them to do so. 



Just as the committees of the board of directors keep in 

 touch with the chief officers and heads of departments, so do 

 the chief officers keep in touch alike with one another and with 

 the country officers, doing this by means of periodical con- 

 ferences. 



There is, in the first place, what is known as the " Officers' 

 Conference." Held once a month at Euston or elsewhere, as 

 convenient, it is presided over by the general manager, and is 

 attended alike by the chief officers and by the district officers 

 for both the passenger and the goods departments. At 

 this conference the matters discussed include proposed altera- 

 tions in the train service, mishaps or irregularities and their 

 avoidance, suggested changes in the rules, and everything 

 appertaining to the working, loading and equipment of the 

 trains. 



Another conference, known as the " Goods Conference," is 

 also held monthly generally on the day preceding the 

 Officers' Conference and is presided over by the chief goods 



