TRAIN SERVICES CUT

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1013, 2 July 1930, Page 1

TRAIN SERVICES CUT

Policy of Curtailment DAYLIGHT LIMITEDS WITHDRAWN Pressing Need of Economy THE STJ2PS Parliamentary Reporter PARLIAMENT BLDGS., Today. THE Minister of Railways, the Hon. W. A. Veitch, made an important announcement today regarding a proposed curtailment of train services throughout the Dominion to check the heavy losses now being experienced and to permit of savings in operating costs. ‘Tn view of the present financial position,” said Mr. Veitch, “and the pressing need for economy, the Cabinet has had under consideration the question of the adjustment of railway timetables throughout the Dominion, including branch lines, with a view to achieving a definite curtailment in expenditure and at the same time providing a railway service reasonably adequate to the public requirements.

After a very careful examination of the whole of the train services, the following curtailments have already been decided upon: NORTH ISLAND

Hogan, to retain the men in their present employment than to add to the numbers on unemployment relief works.

Mr. Veitch pointed out that the introduction of modern machinery In the new railway workshops had resulted in a reduction in the number of men required. The dismissals had been caused by the change-over from the old to the new workshops. The arrears of work had also been overtaken, and the retention of a large staff could no longer be justified. AUCKLAND PROTEST DISMISSAL OF SECOND DIVISION WORKERS “MEN FACING STARVATION' A strong protest against the disj missmissal of many second division I men from the Railway Department | workshops throughout the Dominion ! was contained in a resolution passed [ unanimously by the Newmarket [ branch of the A.S.R.S. on Monday I evening. The resolution stated that member 3 1 regarded with apprehension the pronouncenient of the Minister of Raili ways that wholesale dismissals were ! not intended by his department and | yet, simultaneously, 50 men from Hillj side, 45 at Addington. 17 at Auckland. 130 from Palmerston Xorth and approximately 50 at Otahuhu had received notice of dismissal. As soup kitchens and doss houses were functioning in Auckland and elsewhere at present, members considered that the men dismissed were facing starvation. “We call upon the Minister to consider carefully the huge salaries of the officers on the first three pages of the Classification List and contrast the department’s attitude in retaining these salaries intact, scores of which have been increased this year. and also retaining the services of such a large number of first division men, none of whom has been dismissed, while hundreds of second division workers have been dumped on to a n already abnormally inflated labour market.” the resoltuion concludes. RAILWAY COSTS REMITS TO COMMISSION OVTLRLAPPING OF CONTROL Press Association WHAXG AREI. Today. The combined meeting of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servant* and the Enginedrivers, Firemen and Cleaners’ Association and the Tradesmen’s Association of the Whangaret section of the Xew Zealand Railways * has resolved to send 12 suggestions to the Railways Commission in connection with the reduction of costs. Tho principal remits concern the overlapping of control in various sections of the department and the increase in highly paid positions, created during the last few years. WELLINGTON PROTESTS “MEN SHOULD BE KEPT ON* ! I Press Association WELUXGTOX, Tuesday. ♦ Resolutions protesting against th* I dismissal of casual railway employees and against the constitution of the Royal Comipission to investigate the I railway finances were carried at a ; meeting of the Thomdon branch of ! the Amalgamated Society of Railway ■ ; Servants. It was stated that some :of the “casual” employees had long 1 service to their credit. ! The resolution stated that the men, ; who were mostly used to railway work, > were being forced on to an overstocked labour market, with the prospect of becoming a burden on the State or the municipalities. It added: “We consider it would be better to retain them in their present position, where they can perform useful service, even if this l necessitates the payment of a. subsidy ’ | by the Government to the Railway De- , 1 partment. There is a sad contrast between the treatment meted out to theso i men and the increases granted to a ? | large number of administrative _ i officers.” The resolution in connection witli * the constitution of the commission was k to the effect that the railway servant* s should be allowed to appoint * repr*« • sentative to the commission.

Auckland District.—The Daylight Limited expresses between Auckland and Wellington will be discontinued. The present Auckland-Opua daily express trains will run daily between Auckland and Whangarei. but between Whangarei and Opua they will run thrice weekly only: the through days from Auckland to Opua will be Tuesdays. Thursdays and Saturdays, and the through daj's from Opua to Auckland will be Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

The present Aucklaud-Taneatua daily express trains will run daily between Auckland and Tauranga, but between Tauranga and Taneatua these trains will run thrice weekly only: the through days from Auckland to Taneatua will be Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and the through days from Taueatua to Auckland will be Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays.

The present night expresses between Wellington and New Plymouth will be discontinued. Further alterations in the North Island include the discontinuance of the train now leaving Kumeu for Auckland at 6 a.m. daily and returning from Auckland to Kumeu in the evening. In future these trains will begin and terminate their runs at Waitakere. “I may add,” said Mr. Veitch, “that my review of the whole of the branch lines of the Dominion is not yet quite complete, but my investigations, so far as they have proceeded, indicate that it will probably be necessary to close the whole or some portion of one or more branches, additional to those enumerated above or to make substantial alterations in the services. I will make a further announcement regarding these lines as soon as my investigations are complete. SUNDAY TRAIN CHANGES

“With regard to the Sundaj r suburban services throughout the Dominion, these, generally speaking, are showing a loss on their operation and as an alternative to withdrawing these trains I have decided to make concession tickets of al 1 kinds no longer available on them, so that all passengers travelling by the suburban services on Sunday will require to pay their fares at ordinary rates. This principle is not altogether new as regards Sunday transport services, as most tram systems put a greater or lesser amount of restriction on the use of concession tickets on Sundays. I am loath to withdraw the Sunday suburban services, but in view of the very pressing need for most rigid economy something had to be done either along that line or along the line of endeavouring to make the services a better financial proposition. I have adopted the expedient which will cause least inconvenience to the travelling public and I hope to retain their patronage at a very slight increase of cost to them.

“In conclusion,” said Mr. Veitch, “I would like to say that it is always a matter of regret to have to withdraw services, but clear limits to the capacity of any business are definitely set by the finance available and in view of the urgency of the need for cutting the loss, I have had regretfully to conclude that the department is not in a position to carry them on. It is proposed to bring the alterations into operation as soon as the necessary arrangements can be made and most of them will operate from July 13. of course necessary that there should be the least possible delay in bringing the adjustments into force so that we maj' get the greatest measure of economy during the current year.”