THE RAILWAY CUT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 276, 18 August 1919, Page 8

THE RAILWAY CUT

' RESTRICTIONS ON PA&SENGES \ TRAFFIC. ■ Sir-In their notice the Railway Department make a special appeal to the public not to travel 011 the railway,unless on specially urgent business, and to out out altogether joy-riding .and any unnecessary journeys. They give us* a littlo sum in arithmetic as to how nianj tons of essential goods could bo carried f such ft number of people regained from travelling. Now this l"t% those people who really cannot aftoid the more expensive motor-car, as, for instance, the working man who has a ]ob thirty miles from his home, and jto looked forward to being with his family «or a week-end at least once a fonnight, or tho case of the young schoolmistress who wants to get home tor her weekelNow/'bonzine is being carried by the railway, but is the Department making any stipulation that it sWI be need onl> for Martial purposes? I have not heard of (inv- such restriction, but can see there are just the usual number of private cars on the roads, with the addition of the through vehicles carrying mails and newspapers between the various centres. , ... , T In Patea railway yard on Thursday I counted thirty" trucks loaded with benzine, and still a very considerable quantity on the wharf waiting lor trucks. In" addition to those, a number of rasons had gone forward earlier 111 tho week. Taranaki is using a large number of motor lorries, but one would 1» safe in saying that at least one half this benzine is being used purely for joyTiding. One may deduct irom the atone example that similar vast quantities are ■being carried on other sections of oua railways, and if the Minister 111 charge ia really honest in hia endeavours to do lX In the country he will take such steps as will ensure this benzine being used only for essential purposes, and let our timber mills get away the timber which 'builders aro wanting ;o erect the hZes so .badly needed by the people Thanking you in antieipation.-l am, etc., t; rp