A CANARD REFUTED

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 43, 14 November 1919, Page 6

A CANARD REFUTED

MEAN ATTEMPT TO INJURE AN OPPONENT NOT A WORD OF TRUTH IN ALLEGATION

An article in tho local Wardist newspaper yesterday alleged that the limited express which left Wellington for Auckland on Saturday last woe in fact a special train ran for tho convenience of the Prime Minister. The General Manager of Railways (Mr. E. W. Jl'Villy) stated when ho was interviewed yesterday that there was not a word of truth in this allegation. "Since tho run,"' Mr. M'Villy observed, "it has been made definitely clear to the public tlmt the limited express was run as an experiment for the purpose of enabling the Department to establish eucli a train permanently in the 'Welling-ton-Auckland service. While the curtailed time-table was still in operation, the Department was considering the question of train arrangements when normal circumstances .prevailed, and we several times made it perfectly clear that wo hoped at an early dato to restore the pre-war time-table, with such improvements as tho altered circumstnaces of tho country might necessitate. The institution of iv limited express is perhaps tho moot important of these improvements. In passing. I may mention that I touched upon tho possibilities of such a service in «• Deimrtmental report presented in 1908. 'It -was for the purpose of ascertaining the practicability of the proposal, and finding ouf definitely what could be dono in the matter of saving time," added the General Manager, "that I decided to run the experimental train and to carry passengers both ways. Tho object in view was tho permanent improvement of tho "Wellington-Auckland service. 'It was after the whole of the arrangements had been made that I ascertained that the Prime Minister, who knew nothing whatever about tho Department's proposal regarding tho limited express, had arranged to go to Auckland by the ordinary express train leaving Wellington at 12.10 p.m. on Saturday. I mentioned the matter to the Prime Minister and invited him to accompany the party en tho experimental run. Mr. Ma«soy agreed, and altered' tho arrangements ho had previously made."