STOP TRAVEL

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 124, 28 May 1942, Page 6

STOP TRAVEL

STRINGENT STEPS AUSTRALIAN MOVE (Special Australian Correspondent) (Rec. 10 a.m.) * SYDNEY, this day. Heavy restrictions will be imposed on rail travel throughout Australia. Traffic must be rigidly limited to requirements for efficient prosecution of the war. Details will be determined at a conference of State railway commissioners with representatives of the Australian and United States Armies, to be held next week. The Commonwealth's transport systems have been under inspection by an American transport officer. Colonel Johnson, president of the Erie Railways, U.S.A. Because Australia's locomotive construction shops have been diverted to war production, some States have sought to purchase rolling stock in me United States. However, It Is noped that the elimination of non-essential travel may obviate the need to obtain American rolling stock, thus preserving shipping space for war supplies. Priority Offices To lie Set Up All the States are expected to institute priority offices, through which persons seeking to engage in non-essential travel will have to secure official approval for their journeys. Total prohibition is expected of the practice of wives and families accompanying husbands on business trips whether of a civilian or defence nature. Complete cancellation of week-end holiday travel is certain. The immediate introduction of priorities both for rail passenger and goods traffic has been ordered by the War Cabinet. Mr. Curtin, announcing the intended restrictions, said that all non-essential traffic would have to make way for essential defence requirements. The railway systems would have to work on Saturdays and Sundays. The heavy traffic made it imperative that no truck should remain idle. Railways would have to standardise passenger accommodation and limit passenger trains to essential needs. Inter-State traffic in particular must be heavily curtailed.