THE TRAIN SERVICES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 296, 10 September 1919, Page 8

THE TRAIN SERVICES

M IMPROVEMENT NEXT WEEK --EXTRA EXPRESS TRAINS Some-improvements in the train services wore announced by the Minister of Railways (Air. Massey) in the House of Representatives yesterday. Mr. Massey • said he 1 was pleased to be ablo to.tell; ;'the House" that from nest week, the fol- : lowing arrangements would take effect with respsct to express .trains:— Auokland-Wyilnfrton and WellingtonAuckland, two trains per week each way. , Auokland-Rotorua and Rotorua-Auek- - land,; two"-trains. por week each way. '''■ Wellington-New Plymouth and New. Plyihoirsh-Wellington, two trains per .. week each way. Paimerston North-Napier and Napier- ' Palmers-ton North, two,trains per week each way,, , ■'- Christohuroh-Dunedin, Dunedin-Christ-churoh, Dimedin-Invercaigill. and Inver-cargill-Duriedin, two trains per week each 'way.; ' Lambton-Woodville- and WoodvilleLambton, two trains per week each way. Goods trains on branoh lines, two per week.. Eaoh of the trains mentioned in l 'the : .statement would be rigidly restricted to'one engine load, and for that leasee the. permit system must be continued in the' meantime. Mr. Massey added that in respect of goods traffio Velief was gradually being given by running special . trains where practicable, and' in addition the'engines of the express trains would he utilised for the conveyance of goods traffic. The days on -which.tie ex- \ press' trains would run, on the various fines'would,bo announced on the following day.

. : "I,think this Is an important improvei meat," said Sir, Massey, "and I hope to '~-!■ make mure improvements during the following week." .^ Sir Joseph Ward thanked the Prime Minister for Jus statement, and asked him to go a little further and remove a real grievance, ill "the South Island. There was absolutely no, reason why the express i trains should, not run 'rierlit through) from Christchiirch. to Invercar- ! gill in the one'day. The longer journey . from Wellington to Auckland was made, in one day. The -tweaking of the journey at Dunedin, 60 as to vforce people to" take two days between Christohurch and" Invercargill, was an exceedingly 6tupid arrangement."and was no credit to the brains of the people responsihle for the control of thß railway services. The South Island Main Trunk lino had been '.'■' open for thirty years, and during touch • of that time it had liad through trains. The Department did not save coal by running an express train-223 miles, then stopping for the night and completing •the journey the next day. The people > -.'.of the South Island felt keenly on'the point. Tho present' arrangement was a • great inconvenience to them,; and e . EailmMr Denartment, "in his opinion, N . ought to be able to set the matter right in'a'couple of hours'..'. . ; Mr. Massey did not reply,'immediately. . Later in the afternoon, in answer to '-" an:'interjection by Mr v 6. Witty (Ric- '■; cafton);he said would* no"t be possible to run through trains,in "the South, •;■' Island until the Department got baok to normal conditions.

: TO3RBTJR.Y DEPOTS. 'By Telegraph—Press Association, ChWstchtirch, September 9. It-is-stated that' the Railway Department now tag good supplies of coal on hand, at all the depots in Cantor-bury, and that big ouantities are arriving cohstantlv. • At the present time it is stated that the quantity of coal on hand here is probably slightly ,ur excess of. what it was,'.ia,,normal times. /