THE RAILWAYS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 162, 3 April 1919, Page 4

THE RAILWAYS

The Minister of Railways and the heads of the service arc to be congratulated on having at last arrived at what appears to be a satisfactory settlement with the officers and members of this great Department of State. A discontented public service is an unwholesome influence in the community at any time, and especially so during a period of unrest such as this Dominion in company with the rest of the world is now passing through. Many of the grievances which have been rectified were of old standing, and through long friction had gained a keener edge than was warranted. With their removal and the improved conditions of work generally a better spirit may k looked for throughout the service. The users of the railways will of recessity have to foot the bill, and though the cost has not yet been made known it is fairly safe to assume that the war increases in freights and faros which_ many hid hoped to see removed will be cqntinued. This will not mean any very great hardshin. bu f , what is frit as a hardship is the insufficient services. This apparently is unavoidable ut present, but the new General Manager of Railways will find a quick road to popularity with the public through a speedy restoration, of pre-war-time railway services. While on the subject of the railways we would add our weight to the volume of protest which has been raised against the restrictions pliccd on the use of returned sol'liers' railway passes duriiiE tlrEaster holidays" The fact that th« trains are liable to be crowded at holiday times seems to us quite insufficient reason for preventing the returned men from making use of this small privilege. If anyone is to suffer through the lack of railway facilities it surely should not be those men whose services overseas have placed the country under a lasting obligation.