RAILWAY RESTRICTIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17693, 2 August 1919, Page 7

RAILWAY RESTRICTIONS

NEW REGULATIONS QUIETLY ENFORCED. Tho new restrictions on passenger traffic by the railways were put into force yesterday without arousing any unseemly scenes at the Railway Station. The station gates wore shut early in the morning, and porters, posted _ with_ an eye to business at the strategic points about the platform and entrances, were a guarantee that none neod hope to board a train without having secured a blue permit to travel. Tlioso are issued by the assistant station master (Mr R. M'Craoken), who got through his rather unenviable task yesterday without any unpleasant incident. Would-be passengers adopted a reasonable attitude, and the 1 railway officials, for their part, made tho best of tho unwelcomo regulations. The south and north trains, each with four passenger cars, left with a few seats to spare, but tho Otago Central train was full. It is to be reduced to two passenger cars on and after Monday. Throe carriages were put on yesterday, because the travellers who applied for permits included a number of women and children who had been visiting Dunedin for medical attention, and who wished to return home.

Tho station platform is open all day, and at the when tho inward trains arrive, but only passengers are admitted during tho times of departure. OFFICIAL INSTRUCTIONS. The following instructions have been issued by the department:— Passengers within a suburban area are not subject to tho permit system. A ticket for a single journey is not an undertaking to give the holder a passage On any particular day. Tho certificate of a duly qualified miklical man will be accepted as showing the right io a permit. Persons who were away from home when the restrictions came into operation will be taken home if they establish a bona fide easo

As to passengers joining at flag stations, the guard will decide whether the .journey is necessary.

No platform tickets will be now issued. Wherever the arrangement of tho station premises and Btaff permit, ■ only intending passengers holding tickets will be admitted to the platform. If there is an alternative route by sea, passengers are advised to take that means of travelling. The restrictions are not applicable to holders of official tickets or annual or other season tickets, members of the Legislature, school children who have to travel to school, holders of soldiers' return four-weekly tickets, holders of coupons or tickets issued by the Tourist Department, Cook and Son, or the Union Company, nor to newspaper reporters or newsboys, bat all must hold permits.

Seats can be reserved as usual on through, trains one day in advance of the day of travelling. THE PORT CHALMERS LINE. IMPROVED SERVICE REQUESTED. The Mayor of Port Chalmers yesterday telegraphed to the Minister of Railways as follows:—"We would ask you to review the present very unreasonable railway timetable between Port Chalmers and Dunedin. The Port _is the ship-repairing centre of the dominion, and as such is a most important economio factor in the present shipping and coal trouble. Present system means grave delay. Am of the opinion that without increased consumption of coal present time-table can be increased and shipping helped Kindly ask officials to reconsider matter. Lytteßvn-Christchuroh time-table 50 per cent, better, without increased need."

POSITION IN CHRISTCHURCH. (From Ooh Own Correspondent.) CHRISTCHURCH, August 1. Tie new railway restrictions on passenger traffic gave some animation to the station this morning. In a corner near the ticket boxes a slight structure, with a good-sized window slide, has been erected, and here were located two officials, upon whom "devolved tile task of receiving the would-be passengers and inquiring into the why and wherefore of their proposed journeys, and then weighing up the information which had been vouchsafed them and deciding whether it came within the regulations to justify them in issuing a permit. When asked how the new system was working, the stationmaster (Mr Brownell) said there had been many difficulties, « number of people not being aware that the new regulations in regard to permits to travel were coming into force to-day. In regard to the matter of coming to a decision that a person was qualified to travel, the officials had in some measure to trust to the honesty of the applicants, and judge as best they oould by the apparent evidence that might be tendered. Undoubtedly a great number of the cases were genuine in respect to the granting of a permit, but there had been one or two who had tried on a dodge or so, and these had been refused. "For a day or two," he continued, "there will doubtless be a little trouble, but _we are hoping . that the public will realise the position we are placed in and stop at home when thev can. Naturally we must expect some oases in which a 'ring-on' -Bill be tried." .