LOCAL AND GENERAL

Chronicle (Levin), 2 April 1947, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Expensive Travellinp* The extent to Which many wouldbe Easter travellers will go in order to secure transport was revealed today by a local car owner, who said that he had received offers of up to £9 to convey friends to Auckland. Easter Trains Booked Out A notice board in the booking hall of the Wellington station yesterday showed that all scheduled expre'ss trains were full. The position is no better on the road . services as all the* department's buses have been fully booked up to Tuesday 01* Wednesday next week. Railcars on all usual routes have also been fully booked for weekend and Easter trips. Progress in Air'Travel "Great progress must be expected in air travel in the next decade," said the Minister of Works, Hon. R. Semple, outlining the ten-year plan for the improvement of communications in the Horowhenua and Manawatu districts today. In the Manawatu, added the Minister, considerable • development of Ohakea aerodrome might be necessary, while extensions to Milson airfield, Palmerston North, and some extensions at Feilding and Levin would have to be made. . Electrification of Railway The Palmerston North-Pae-kakariki section of railway had reached a stage where single track operation was no longer efficient, said the Minister of Works, Hon. R. Semple, speaking at Palmerston North today. Some duplication had already been carried out and two more sections were now proposed — Levin to Koputaroa and Otaki to Manakau. The next step woulcl be the electrification of the railway from Palmerston North to Paekakariki, and that work would be put in hand at an early date. Heavy Toll Trafhc The normally. heavy Easter toll traffic at the Levin Post Office has been greatly intensified as a result of the restriction on train timetables. Sudden cancellations of holiday accomrpodation, rail, and shipping reservations, and private holiday arrangements, have doubtless been responsible for the heavy strain on all outward toll lines. As a result delays^have been inevitable. Yesterday the telephone staff was working at high pressme, and calls to Wellington lodged at 9.30 a.m. were not put through till mid-day. Further delays are being experienced through many sulscrihers continually ringing the exchange to make inquiries about fcheir calls.