THE RAILWAY SERVICES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 235, 30 June 1919, Page 4

THE RAILWAY SERVICES

THIS WEEK'S REDUCTIONS. The drastic cut in railway services: announced at | the end of last week (will operate from Wednesday of • this week. •The news has been received with a good deal of dismay in business circles. :The delay in %' delivery of mails and the loss of time involved in travelling are serious matters, to many business men. The journey from Wellington to Auckland is. going to occupy two days and a half under, the new conditions, and tha journey ,from Wellington to New 'Plymouth-, will'.take nearly two full days. Tho railway authorities can- givd no information-as to the duration of S tha new arrangements. The position simply is that the' Railway Department's stocks of coal have been reduced to a dangerously low point. If the Department 'carried 011 the normal railway services alia failed in the near future to obtain i in. creased supplies of coal a complete stoppage would liPcome necessary on many of the lines/ The Department has no assurance that incrc.wd-supplies will; be forthcoming, and it therefore cut down tho services'in order to economise ', tho existing stocks. The duratioli of the' new arrangements will depend upon tho output of the Neiv Zealand mines- and the' supplies of coal from abroad.

Temporary coal shortages have occurred in other years, but it has been possible to avoid serious dislocation at aiiv point by diverting supplies; Tho present snortage, however, is being felt by all consinners of coul in every part of.tho coun. toy, and there is no remedy to be found in the diversion of supplies. It is essential that the freezing works should have enough coal to keep their plants in operation, since otherwise valuable stocks of meat would be lost. The ships must have the. coal, the gasworks and the tramway power plants must lie kept in operation, and industries must be kept in-motion. Failure at any one of these' points would cause loss and suffering to thousands of peoplo who liavo already felt the effects of reduced supplies. Then there is tho household consumer to be considered. -With all these demands npon the limited stocks and scanty supplies, the Government is not able to promise the Railway Department reliof within any definite period, though in the normal course of events the position will, become easier after next month.