THE RAILWAYS

Taihape Daily Times, 2 July 1919, Page 5

THE RAILWAYS

B’A,_RELY WEEK’S SUPPLY.

fl’ NO R. " IF TILL AUGUST. ’ Mr. C. - arr, M.P., has received akhe followi g reply from the Minister of Railways on the subject of train service reductions. The answer is important inasmuch as it explains the Government policy:—“lt is impossible to say when the ordinary service can be resumed, and there is only about a week’s supply of coal,, Wiz., about five thousand tons, on fiormal running, in {sight for next month. This situation will undoubtedly be relieved when the Australian strike is over, but relief cannot be expected immediately, as ships _ have first to go from New Zealanld to Newcastle. ‘ “The epidemic is also the cause of much delay, ‘especially if the coal boats on arrival here have to undergo quarantine. As you are probably aware, the Kaituna has been in Newcastle a week or more, and has not started loading yet. She should by ,his time have b‘oen here, and her, ‘largo of coal discharged. ‘§,‘ ‘I can assure you -that the timetable will be resumed at the earl‘iest possible moment, but there is hardly any hope of ‘getting any al-1 leviation ‘until August. We "are trying t.o reduce our ordinary consumption of 5000 tons of coal to help that amount." ‘- ' . TRAVELLING POST OFFICES OUT , OUT. M ONLY 9000 TONS OF COAL IN 1 .- _ SIGHT NO RELIEF UNTIL MIDDLE OF ' AUGUST s”‘ WELLINGTON, this day. ' I In consequenceof, the curtailment of the Railway services,‘ ,a‘ll“_railway, travelling post/oifices will be disc'o'ntin'u'cd ‘ from to-day, and all letter Ts"srting“on trains will cease, which will lncccssiarily imp_ose'some delay in thedelivery of correspondence, ."A I ‘'. In,.,f_ur.ther explanation .of of "the §- railway reductions, the authorities state that whereas thelvrailways require 7fivt thousand it«on’s of coil weekly, they have only nine ‘thousand in. vsight .to_ the middle of August. At the present date there is only enough V to last nine or ten days. If the strike in Australia ende_d no immediate rclief could be expected, as ships would have to be sent there, andon return comply with the quarantine regulations \&The Government is doing its utmost ‘to obtain ships and coal.