THE RAILWAY CRISIS.

Taihape Daily Times, 7 July 1919, Page 5

THE RAILWAY CRISIS.

TAIIMARUNUI BOMBARDED. ‘ A RUSH FOR BEDS. » p The Taumarunui railway stationiou‘ Thl_ll'sd3Y evening, when the two tfains arrived, presented allthe appearances lof 3- Station in one of the larger towns, The train from the north arrived just‘ after eight o’clock, some 75 minutes’ late, and imnrediately passengers made 3 Wild rush for the hotels to secure a bed, while others who had thoughtfully secured one by-telegram t.-06k matters °3lml}’- In a very short time every bed had been booked, and those unfortunate enough m be unable to get one were faced with a puzzle, The con. stable doing his evening beatwas at once accosted with _-the question, “Where can I get a. bed?” and put many «a weary traveller in the way of getting accommodation. Some fifteen minutes after -the arrival of the north train, the Wellington train arrived on the outer line, which meant that passengers had to scramble through the nsorth train to get on to the platform, and found that there was not a bed to be had. For a. time the main street was browded with people. The. refreshment rooms were besieged, and did a roaring trade till late in the evening. Inquiries at the diiferent ‘hotels show that everyone was crowded,’ and “shake-downs” erected in all kinds of places. The railway station was turned into a miniature hotel. The stationmaster, with a thoughtfulness that calls for the highest praise, found accommodation for -some fifty persons. One of the waiting rooms was given over entirely to women, and two more to the men. Fires were kept brightly burning, and with cushions from the carriages. and rugs, the travellers were enabled to sleep the sleep of the just. Th trains leaving on Friday morning for north were full, one hulldred going by the north train, and two ~hundred and twenty-Wsouth. ‘These Tfigures give some iildica.tioll 'of the —,extra~ number of people in the town. It was expected that the train fr:onl north would not be so heavy on Frifidafy evening, as‘ passengers going south on Saturday morning would only ‘ get as far as Palmerst.-on, which means :3. four days’ journey to Wellington, the Sunday coming in between. The suggestion has been made that the Mayor should use his influence to get beds placed in the difierent sample rooms, which, it is estimated, could accommodate 250 persons. The advent of so many people is an advertisement to the town, and their stay should be made as pleasant. as possible.

- We have ‘heard of one instance in which a soldier just returned, was stranded in Taumarunui with his wife and -a baby in arms. The husband, with his wife and child, walked the streets in the wet, and were eventually taken in L‘; a local. resident, Who, with his wife’s assistance, did everything to’ make the strangers comfort-able, even to turning out early in the morning to provide them with a hot breakfast. and to see them away by the 7 o’clock train.-—Taumarunui Press.