TRAIN SERVICES CURTAILED.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 August 1921, Page 3

TRAIN SERVICES CURTAILED.

! STATEMENT RY THE MINISTER I REDUCTIONS BEGIN ON 14th INST. WELLINGTON, Aug. 3 . 1 The following statement was issued by the -Minister of Railways to-night. s In view of the high rate of expenditure and the fact that the railway * traffic, wind: I n.- been declining since April Ist, gives no sign of materially improving, it lias been decided that a curtailment in the train services liiis ’ become a matter of necessity. Commencing front the 14th inst, the Wednesday and Saturday trains between Wliangnrei and Opua will be cancelled, and the through service between Wliangarci and Opua will he reduced to three days a week, connecting with the Northern Company’s steamer at Onerahi. The Mclensville-Aueklaiid express on Saturdays, and the Sunday service I between Meniost and Onehunga will be I (anc-eiled. The mijld-iy trains he tween Palmersl toil North ami Eoxton will be reduced to two days a week. The mixed trains between Woodville and Mastorton will lie reduced to three days a. week. The two motor trains bttween Lower Mutt and Upper Mutt, tl.e 1.45 a.m. tra-n Palmerston North to Waipukurau, and the 11.25 p.m. WellingtonJohnsunvillc train will be cancelled. A7i.EI?ATIONS ON SOUTH ISLAND LINES. In the South Island the alterations are as follow s : Second express Christchun h-lnver-cargill, to run on three days a

week. Lyttelton Line. The late pussenge service to run on two days a week ( ulvcrdeii-Waiau Service.—The pas sengei service to run on three day:

a week, and the-goods service t run on four days a week. ( alverdcii-Waikari service is cancel cd. | Eyretoii branch servile to run on lot ! days a week. ! Raiigiora-Oxford service to run o j three days a week. | Oxford to Sheffield midday train i , cancelled. j Waipara-Uaimissus service to run o j lour days" a week. • C bri.sicblireii-l.iule River service t ; i un on three days -a week, i Lincoln-Little River, to run on ion i days a week. j ( diristehiiicii-SeUtbhridge, to run oi ! tlnec days,a week, j ('bi isteliureli-Springfielil. to iun oi j Three days a week, j I hi r!ie Id-Whiled ills, to run throe day: ! a week. Mcthveu-Rakaia, to run oil four day: | a week. Tiiiiarii-Eairlie. -The present triweekly service to run on one day only.

Waimatc-Studbolmc, to run on three days a week. Trains between Kurow and Hakatnramea are cancelled. Oamaru-Ilakataramea, trains to terminate their run at Kurow. Onniaru-Tokarnlii-Ngapara. to run on two days a week. Dunedin-Port Chalmers, the 10.16 p.in. tr.iin to run on Saturdays only ; 11.15 p.m. trains on Wednesdays and Saturdays, instead of daily. The morning trains on Sundays to be cut out. Dunedin-Mosgiel, late trains to be cut out on Wednesdays, and the 9.25 a.m. and 10.40 a.m. trains to be cancelled. j Lawreiicc-Beanmont-Milton, the 12.10 p.m., 2.5 p.m. and 7.30 p.m. trains to be cut out on Mondays and Thursdays. Saturday night trains between Woodbinds and Invercargill to be camelled. Tapiumi branch to be reduced to one train a day each way, with an extra

train on Saturday evening. Waikaka branch, to run on four days*

j a week. 1 Waimea Plains goods train, with passenger cars, to he cancelled between (jure and Liimsden; Switzers branch service to run on four days a week. Bluff line, four trains cancelled. Seaward Bush line, Saturday night trains Invereargill-AVaiinahika cancelled. Finest Hill lino, to run four da vs a week. Kingston-InvercargilL trains 'between Lumsden and Kingston to b<* cut mt on Wednesdays. ! AYinton-lnvercargill, Saturday momi ing and afternoon trains canceled, also goods trains on Wednesday. Mararoa branch service on Saturdays cancelled service to run on Wednesdays only Consequential adjustments in f times of trains will probably require to be made, full details of which will he notified by advertisement It is: intended that the curtailed time-table shall remain in operation, until the end of November, unless in tlic meantime traffic materially increases. REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE. For the three railway oeriods ending June 2oth., 11)21, the increased revenue oiT the Whangarei section was £3028. and the increased expenditure C 5303. On the South Island Main Truti’ lines the increased revenue was £111.2.'’ ' and tlie increased exonditurc £188,78(5. On the North Island Main Trunk line the increased revenue was £116,i)A4. and the increased expenditure £203,090 The percentage of working expenses to revenue in the whole of tin- Ninth Island was 91.3-1 per cent., against 09.37 per c«it for the corresponding j period last year. In the South Island the nerce'ntiige was 104.00 per cent., against 78 33 per cent, for the corresponding period

last year. The itot-al 'revenue to la,to for .all lines for the three months was £l,O/58,683, and the total expenditure C1,004.6/57. The working expenses were 90.74 per i-ent., against 73.31 percent, for the corresponding period last year.

STATEMENT BY MINISTER. 1 11 Y TELEOKAI’II—PER I’UHSS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Aug. 5. Details of the amended railway timetable will he announced in the various districts this week. In reply to criticism that the reduction in daily trains would he a| serious business for school children, Hon. Guthrie, Minister for Railways, states tlie requirements of the school children bad

been very fully considered by the Government before the reduction of services was finally approved. The Department is doing its best to reduce interference with education to a. mini, mum. There were eases where the withdrawal of trains used by children attending schools could not be avoided, lyit be was satisfied that the least possible inconvenience was being inflicted upon the young people. 'The saving to bo effected up to the end of November by the reduction of services was estimated at £IOO,OOO, or at the rate, roughly, of £350,000 per year. Recent returns show the traffic, is . still declining and the Department cannot know when the declline will bo checked. The reduction of services will involve some lo<s of revenuethough probably not vert much, since the traffice will tend ti accommodate itself to the now time table. Tt is not anticipated that the amended time-table will involve a reduction of the railway staff. It will involve some reduction in tho earnings of railwaymen, since the amount of overtime worked on many lines will be very much reduced., The savings will consist largely of reduced consumption of coal and store-s, and reduced wear and tear. The reduced train mileage will mean reduced maintenance charges and other savings.