THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 1919. THE RAILWAY "CUT."

Otaki Mail, Volume 26, 22 August 1919, Page 2

THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 1919. THE RAILWAY "CUT."

t For tho can.se that lacks assistance, Fqr the wrongs that need resistance, For tho future in the distance, And the good that we can do.

Rossibly the restrictions imposed on the railway service of Xew Zealand, both as regards the reduction of number of trains and the stoppage of nonessential passenger service, were necessary—in the absence of better information we have to accept the statements of the Minister for Railways—but there can be but one opinion as to the 'method in which the restrictions arc being carried out. Tho Minister and those responsible have certainly not displayed tact or good judgment in their arrangement of the'detnils of the restrictions, and the result has been the existence of anomalies and injustice that call loudly for redress. We marvel at the long-suffering of the people who have so long calmly submitted to the present intolerable state of affairs, but note that tho complaints arc becomingly increasingly more clamorous. Perhaps the most preposterous provision of the new regulations is that which allows the.carriage of alcoholic liquors; while prohibiting the conveyance of such essentials as dairy stock, builders' materials, etc. After numerous complaints had been made with regard to this iniquitous anomaly, the Minister of Railways recently published a statement with regard to his inability to interfere with the sacred rights of the people to have as much beer and whisky as they liked, owing to the fact that a small majority had voted in favour of the continuance of the liquor traffic at the recent referendum. Such a weak, illogical attempt to excuse a gross injustice has seldom been made public, and does not reflect to the credit of a Minister of the Crown. The latest protest on this point comes from Mr L. M. Isitt, M.P. for Christehurch JTorth. who has wired as follows to the Premier:—"l think some of the railway restrictions absolutely unreasonable. Resentment here over the refusal to take the school boarders home is intense. One of our Methodist preachers was refused a passage to allow him to take a Sunday appointment. Had he been a beer barrel he would have been carried." Let he refer to one or two instances which show the hardship entailed by the gross mismanagement of the railway restrictions. We are given to understand. from a reliable source, that farmers are being prevented from using the' traias to journey to and from stock sales. Anyone who knows anything at all of farming, is aware that it is absolutely necessary for farmers to attesd various stock" sales from time to time to parchase and dispose of stock, and to prevent them from making these journevs by train is a serious hardship. Then, again, the refusal of the authorities to allow school children to journey to and from their homes for holidays is altogether incomprehensible. In many -ases the children attending boarding- • schools cannot remain there daring the " iolidays. as these establishments arc , .dosed down, which makes it n'eeessarv •, for parents to go to great expense in , airing motors to convey iheir ebildre» . o their homi's. or arrange for hoard is , he towns where the children get their ; chooling. this restriction is a s rreat hardship on many straggling . >.ircnis. parting aside all sentimental E [rounds. Seeing that isariy of The. , rains are running with half-empty car- j iago. jsarents naturally are greatly. ir» ; -j eased that their children cannot fb& arried. In other east:/ children who are .b'e«n i<?urseyii>g cocsiderable div aases dally sad "weekly to r.fcnre edn- • atiosal advantages have beta obliged \ j

to relinquish their visits. When we reflect" that any amount of beer can be taken over the railways, but the education of our children must suffer seriously, we wonder again at the;patience of a long-suffering people. However, the worm will turn eventually, and the Government that allows such injustices to continue is assuredly riding for a fall.

Since the 'above was in type, the Minister for Railways has announced that, owing to a slight improvement in the coal supplies, the Department hopes next week to be able to arrange for the carriage of school pupils to their homes by rail if it is necessary.