EXTRA TRAINS FOR EASTER

Chronicle (Levin), 6 April 1946, Page 6

EXTRA TRAINS FOR EASTER

—Press Association

RISK BEING TAKEN IN REGARD TO COAL

By Telegr'aph-

. ;• WELLINGTON, April 5. '.'The shortage of coal has made the task of running.the railways this la'sr. two or three years a real nightmare, ' ' said Hon. R. Semple (Minister of Railways) in announeing the Eagter" timetable. ''The position is gettihg worse instead of better. "At Christmas time, in order to give the people au opportunity to travel-, we took the risk of riinning an extendeu timetable and just got through by a very narrow margin. In order not to disappoint the general public, we have decided to take the° same risk this Easter. "It is well for the public to " knovv tliat supplies of coal are so low and ro uncertain tliat it becomes something of a gamble. The public will appreciate this fact when they realise that we have been down to two days' supply in the North Island. At the present time, stoclcs in the North Island are 3760 tous, which represents about three to foui days' running on a weekly consumption, of 8000 tons. Not only is there a shortage of coal, but also a fair percentage of the coal being used in the locomotives today is not flt for the purpose. It is only through the patience and loyalty of the engine-drivers and the iiremen tliat the service has been maintained. We have Iiad protests from locomotive men all over New Zealand concerning the dilfi-j culties they have in keeping up steam and maintainiug timetables. The en .gine-drivers and firemen have proved . themselves most patien?, and the loyal thanlcs of the general publie are ' due to tliem" for their sterling efl'orts. It is well for the. public to know these f'acts in view of the absurd talk that has been indulged- in lately about millions of tons of coal. When such statements as these are made, the public may well wonder why it may not travel and naturally blames the railways. The department is most anxious to run a full service everywhere, not only for the beneiit of the public, but also in order to make the railways a paying concern. ' ' Because of the uncertainty- of the coal position, it is not proposed to provide a greatly augumented service for the fortheoming- Easter holiday traffic .and Anzae Day, which this year falls on Thursday following Easter Monclay; but the demand for additional trayel facili ties will be eloselv watched. Extra serviees will be added to those mentioned below, provided, of course, stoclcs of coal are available to the department to permit this being done. Main Trnnk Trains Insofar as the Main Trunk trains ar" eoneerned, four trains eaeh way will run between Auckland and Wellington on Weduesday, April 17, five oji Thursday three on Good .Fridav, two on Saturdavtwo on Sundav and 21 for returning holiday travel lers. Four trains each way will he provided on Easter Monday, four on Tuesday, and three on Weduesday. The following day being Anzae Day, only the 3 p.m. trains will run from Auckland and Wellington. The normal timetable will operate from Fridav, April 26. "On the Auekland-Opua, AueklandRotorua, Auckland-Taneatua, Welling ton-New ' Plymbuth : !-and Wellington-Napier-Gisborne routes, expresses will

run daily from Wednesday, April 17, to Wednesday, April 24, with relief trains on selected days. Extra express trains between Auckland ^.nd" New Plymouth will run, leaving Auckland on April 16 and 23, and. New Plymouth on April 17 and 24. ' ' After detailing the South Island arrangements, Mr. Semple said that a reduced service of all classes of trains would operate on Good Friday. On Anzae Day, praetically no trains, exc.ept a limited service in the suburban areas and.an esqpress each yvay between .Wellington andX Auckland, .Christchurch: and Hokitika, and Christchurch -Invercargill, would be run. It was not proposed to disturb the present arrangement in regard to the reservation of seats and sleeping berths, whereby applications for such accommodation might be made at the allottiug stations up to seven days ahead of the date of travel and nine days in advanee at non-allotting stations. — ii ■»» ii — iihdmiimii — ii ommym...