FEWER TRAINS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3016, 1 March 1917, Page 6

FEWER TRAINS

RAILWAY DEPARTMENT'S SCHEME ENLISTMENTS MEAN CURTAILED SERVICES The effect of recruiting upon tho services coutrollcd by the Aew Zealand Railway Department was further discussed at Tuesday's sitting of tho Third AVulliugtou Military Service Hoard. William Harold Hales, timetable expert, was drawn in tho iirst ballot and appeal was made on his behalf in December by tho Department, which represented that ho was one of three men engaged in the compilation of time-tables and the arrangement of train services. His enlistment, it was stated, would disorganise the- service. When the ease was heard in December a period of. exemption was granted. Yesterday the case came up for review.

The chairman (Mr. "\V. H. S. Moorhouso) said the board wished to know what steps Jhe Department had taken to provide a. substitute for Hales. John Beviu, District Traffic Manager, said that the Department had not been able to make any arrangements. He asked that tho case should be adjourned again until May 1, when the Department hoped to have ready a. scheme for the reduction of services in order to free men for the Reinforcements.

The chairman: And then you will lvant further delay while time-tables arc compiled.

Mr. Bevin said that Hales was quite willing to go to the front, but the Department could not spare him. A preliminary scheme was now being prepared for the curtailment of services. It might be necessary later to make a very drastic cut and to raise fares in order to reduce- traffic. The question was one of policy for the Government to consider, and the contention of the Department in the meantime was tnat no more men could bo spared from tho expert branches without curtailment of the services. The work poxfoimed by Haley; required expert knowledge of a very special nature, and the man could not possibly bo replaced at the present time.

Captain Baldwin: A good deal has been said about the Department wanting a lead from the Government in this matter. Would not the Minister proceed on information received from tho Department?

Mr. Bevin: "The Minister should direct the Department." Witness said that the train services at tho present timb were about tho same as when the case was first heard., s The rough outlino of a scheme for the reduction of services had been formulated. Hales was assisting in- the work. Tho proposals that were being drafted were, for the reduction of services on certain' lines, and tho Department .would consider how many men could bo spared on those lines.

Captain Baldwin: Supposing tho board sends into camp more men than tho Department considers it can spare, what provision will you make? Mr. Bevin: Train services will have to be curtailed, possibly interfering with the fommerce of the country. Captain Baldwin: Will you be able to spare Hales on May 1?

Mr. Bevin: That is a.question that had better be hold over until we know the position. Captain Baldwin: Then wo may still have this pistol held to our ]jeads—that the enlistment of this man will disorganise the train services? Are you preparing a scheme that will let tho whole of your eligible men go into camp?" Mr. Bevin: That is a question you had better ask the General Manager." William Harold Halos said that he was -willing to go to the front if the board said that ho should go. Five of his brothers were of military age, three in Now Zealand and two in "America. Two of tho brothers in New Zealand had volunteered, but had heea rejected.

Mr. R. W. M'Villy. AssistantGeneral Manager of the Railway Department, said that tho Department had to pursue a policy laid down by the Government. Since the outbreak of war the General Manager had from time to time drawn tho attention of tho Minister of Railways to the position that must ultimately arise- if railwaymon continued to bo withdrawn for service at the front. About 4200 of tho Department's men had gone already. The Department recently told tho Minister exactly what the. position was, namely, that unless tho train services were to bo reduced the Department imist appeal against any further enlistment of trained railwaymen. "Up to the present time wo hare not had any indication of what the policy of the Government is with regard to tho reduction, of train services," said Mr. M'Villy. "The Department on its own initiative has gone into the matter, and has formulated as far as it can a scheme which will represent a first cut at the railway services. When tho scheme is ready the Department will place it before the Government, if the Government has not previously given a direction as to policy. Wo liave several oxperts working on a reduced time-tablo at the present time, and tho scheme will be ready in about two months' time. The whole question is one of policy for tho consideration of Pabinet. We can release men by curtailing seryicos. If it is desirable that every eligible'ir.an should go, then the Defence Department can assist the Railway Department by getting a pronouncement from Cabinet. If-a policy of reducing services and: repelling traffic is decided upon, wo shall do what has already been done in England—that is, increase the charges 50 per cent, or so."

The chairman: "If we take your men, will not that force your policy?" Mr. M'Villy: "If you take our men we shall knock off certain trains." The Department was already working short-handed, but the staff was willing to face that position during the war period. Hβ could not say how many men would be released by th« adoption of the scheme at present iit preparation. Hales could not bo spared in any case. He was one of the moil for whom the Department would havo ■to ask for permanent exemption. If the Defence, authorities took over the. control of the railways, they would find it impossible to send Hales out of tho country without serious trouble. Captain Baldwin: "Supposing imat on May 1 tlio board sends into camp the whole of the niilwaymoii whose appeals are before it, with the exception of certain specialists, will you be in a position to carry on reduced services without those men?"

Mr. M'Villy: "Yes. I can hjic-ak definitely on that point. Wβ will be ready then to reduce the time-table if the Government approves. 1 ' The board reserved its decision.

STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER HALF-MBASURES USELESS. Tho foregoing account of what occurred! at tho sitting of the Military .Service Hoard was brought under tho notice of the Minister of Railways (the. Hon. W. H. Herries) yesterday. Mr. Herries said that the Department liad for some time had under consideration a schemo for the reduction of services. He knew that such a selreme was being prepared, hut it had not yet been before him officially, and , conscquontly it had not been before Cabinet. The object of the Department was to prepare- a. scheme for eucb a. reduction of services as would release a

considerable number of men, and this was tho sort of scheme that was in preparation. ]i, was idle, he said, to talk of cutting out race, trains and show excursion trains in order io free men. Jf those trains only worn cut out only a very small number of men, if any, would bo released. Tho. Department had in viow a very much more drastic curtailment of trains, but ho. was anxious to run the present summer season through without introducing it. He wished to warn the publio that tho curtailment would bo considerable, and would impose upon many of (horn inconveniences that might lie irksome. He had delayed as long as possible the imposing of this inconvenience o" the pcoplo using the railways, but the General Alnnnger and himself had. for somo time recoguise<l that the public must soon put up with lessened railway facilities.

Asked whether he proposed to increase freights and fares materially in order to discourage traffic, Mr. Herries said that this matter had not been considered' by him yet.