RACES AND RAILWAYS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3132, 10 July 1917, Page 6

RACES AND RAILWAYS

SOLDIERS FIRST

THE DEPARTMENT'S STATEMENT

"The policy to be followed by the Bail- ■ iWay Department in respect of the running of trains in connection with race meetings (says Mr. B. H. Hiley, General Manager for Railways, in reply, to.a .statement by tho secretary of the--Wel-lington. Racing Club published yesterday) ■was arrived at about April 22, just after the conclusion of the Wellington Racing Club's meeting. "The Wellington Racing Club, through its secretary, has been fully aware since lApril last of the railway policy in vegnrd . to race trains, as lie. was personally advised of the position. - The % Wellington lincing Club, therefore, cannot claim that it has been taken by but has' . arranged the. dates' of its race , -meeting ■with a full knowledge of the fact that,'""the ■ usual train facilities would not be granted while the war continued. The secretary has been notified also that such of the ordinary time-table passenger trains as were suitable will be strengthened for the Wellington races in precisely the same manner as was done for the Manawatu, Auckland, and Dunedin races. JTo alteration of policy has been made in this respect. \ "A mixed train leaves Wellington for "Wbodville at 8.30 a.m., and a passengeT train Wellington ' for Upper Hurt at 9.55 a.m. Tho 9.55 a.m.- train will bo 'made iip "to the. full capacity of 'the ensine,"'and will be made available for. race-goers. Tho ordinary carriage accommodation on the 8.30 n.m. train will also be f-jtrengthened to some extent, lmt as the 8.30 a.m. traiii conveys goods for the districts-befwen Fentherston and Woodvillc and is the . only, ■-through train available for that purpose under tho existing time-table, it ■would inflict very sreajt inconvenience on the whole of the districts north of Cross Creek .to entirely cut off (he goods husidoss dona by tliis train for three days "(luring the week , thp Wellington/ races , are held, therefore the train must be ■'. ■utilised to take a proportion of the goods traffic for settlers in. tho country!-dis-tricts. "Fov the return journey the only suit- ■ ' nble time-table ,train is one leaving Trentham at 4.17 p.m. This 'train will be made up to fhe full capacity of the pii- ■ pine, and to thatextent will be available to -nmplo returning from the races. "When it became necessary to restrict ■ train services, the Railway Department, after consultation with the Defence' Department, arranged to provide trains for the conveyance of soldiers on leaVc from

the camps, and also on one day a week to take, the friends and relatives of soldiers to the Miiivn. -The times of these trains were .fixed by the Defence Department to ennble the soldier to make the. most of his leave and to give the friends nnd relatives of soldiers as much time cis possible in- camp. The Racing Club , pressed the Railway" Department to delay the times of dor/.ir'tuTe of the. soldiers' leave trains and to time them to leave camp at an hour that would coincide vith thn conclusion of the raCPS. It' iils*> urged that the times of The trains that were put on after consultation with the Defence Department for the express purpose of giving parents, wives, and other relatives of soldiers, in camp an opportunity to visit the camp on one day a ■week should be altered to suit the re : quirements of race-goers, ti), the entire disregard of the arrangements of parents and relatives of soldiers who "visit the camp. The Department considers that - it would not be justified in departing from the definite arrangements that havo been made with the Defence Department in respect of, tho timing of trains to and ; from camps.' Compliance with the Eac,ing Club's demands would interfere with the leavo of the soldier, curtail Mb timo ■with relatives and friends, and compel him either to remain in camp for two hours of his leavo time or to attend the . racecourse. Furthermore, it would result A in soldiers and the friends of soldiers : being crowded out of their own special trains by returning race-goers. Parents and elderly friends of those in camp Tvonld have little chance in the jostle foxseats, with a racing crowd.

"The attitude taken up by. the Racing Club is, in effect, that tho interests of .their patrons should bo paramount to the'interests of soldiers and'their parents and friends. This view the Railway Department could not ngTeo to, and this appears to be the basis of the Racing * Club's complaint. Tho Wellington Rac- . ing Clnb is being treated in precisely the '. same manner as other important racing clubs whoso meetings have already been held, and who have made the best of the position that' h'as been created by ■the world war."