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The Royal Tour
Message from the Chairman

I am pleased to publish for the information of the staff the following letter which I have received from Major-General R. G. Howard Vyse, Chief of Staff to H.R.H. the Duke of Gloucester:—

“The Duke of Gloucester directs me to write and thank you for all that you did to ensure his comfort and safety during his time on the New Zealand Railways, both in the North and South Islands.

His Royal Highness fully appreciates the work that you and your staff carried out for him, and the efficiency and punctuality with which all his journeys were completed.

He wishes you to convey his thanks to all your staff for the parts they played in the organisation and running of, not only the Royal Train, but also the Pilot and Emergency Trains; also to those who made the preliminary arrangements and later carried them through so smoothly.

His Royal Highness was most comfortable in the new coaches which you built for his use, and is grateful for their provision. He considers that they are a great tribute to New Zealand workmanship.”

I feel fully assured that I am echoing the sentiments of my colleagues of the Railways Board, as I am certainly communicating my own, when I express the greatest possible satisfaction at having received this letter.

The organisation of that portion of the Tour which affected the railways entailed a great deal of very careful planning. The rolling stock which was provided for the Royal Trains was a striking testimony to what our designers and workmen were able to accomplish in securing a combination of comfort, attractiveness, reliability and economy. The working out, prior to the Tour, of the operating schedules, the providoring arrangements, the servicing of the trains, the patrolling of the track and the many other incidental matters was, in itself, an intricate work, while the alterations which were required to be made—generally at very short notice—were themselves sufficient to place a severe strain on the organisation. The fact that the result was a Tour carried through without a single hitch of any kind and with perfect punctuality as to times of arrival—notwithstanding late departures due to circumstances beyond the control of the Railways Department—makes the achievement one of which the staff can feel justifiably proud.

As having represented the Board on the Tour, I have to thank all the staff who were immediately concerned with the running of the trains for their loyal and efficient co-operation and for the hearty manner in which they met every circumstance as it arose.