134 SECTIONAL ADDRESSES 
It is true that the Railways Act, 1921, no less than the economic de- 
pression, made it incumbent on the railways to effect economies both in 
their organisation and in their mode of working ; and, as we have seen, 
in spite of the high level of their wage and certain other costs, they have 
succeeded in doing so to a marked degree. Yet I cannot help but feel 
that in certain directions economies have been effected at the expense of 
efficiency, though not, as the statistics show, at the expense of safety. 
Within the last few years this policy has, however, been reconsidered. 
A considerable programme of re-equipment has been entered upon. 
Lines are being widened, new locomotives and rolling stock are being 
built, and smaller trains at more frequent intervals are being run on 
branch lines. There is every indication that this policy is to be actively 
pursued in the near future. The extension of electrification of lines is a 
special case in point. 
Even more noteworthy are the attempts now being made to recover 
the goods traffic the railways had lost to road transport. Braked goods 
trains have considerably increased since 1928, giving a far quicker service 
from station to station. Containers for perishable goods, for furniture, 
and for special consignments of various kinds are now being increasingly 
provided, and suitable wagons built for their conveyance. Collection and 
delivery services at terminal stations have also been entirely overhauled 
and improved. ‘The delivery areas have been extended. Feeder services 
for the collection of goods by road vehicles have been established in many 
centres, enabling the delivery of goods at their destination to be effected 
on the day following that of collection. The delivery of goods has also 
been expedited by the establishment of railhead or radial distribution 
centres from which goods are delivered over wide areas by fleets of motors, 
which thus save the delays of transhipment and quicken delivery. 
Naturally, these new services have taken time to develop, and though it 
is still true that in certain cases consignments of less than wagon-load 
amounts are several days on the journey from sender to consignee, the 
average journey time of consignments on the railways has been greatly 
reduced. 
A considerable change in the methods which the railways might adopt 
in dealing with road competition was brought about by the Railway 
(Road Transport) Acts, 1928, which.conferred road powers on the railway 
companies. Under these Acts, each of the four grouped railways was 
permitted to own and operate road vehicles in any district to which 
access is afforded by the system of the company. ‘The railway companies 
were also allowed to invest in any established road transport concern or to 
enter into agreements with any municipality, company, or other concern. 
Rates and charges, however, are subject to review by the Rates Tribunal 
on application by interested parties, and notice of any agreement must be 
given to the Minister of Transport. 
Until these Acts came into operation the railways were fighting with 
one arm tied. ‘The road arm is now free, and the railways have already 
shown that they intend to use it freely, not only where it -is actually 
remunerative, but wherever it is felt desirable to improve efficiency and 
effect quicker delivery of goods. The liberty conferred on the railway 
