RAILWAY SERVICES.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 March 1917, Page 5

RAILWAY SERVICES.

THE QUESTION OP REDUCTION. - EXCURSION TRAINS TO DISAPPEAR (From Our Own Correspondent). Wellington, March 27. . Tlu Minister for Railways is not quits ready yet to make an announcement regarding his proposals for the redaction of railway services. Tho scheme, Which, is designed to release a maximum number of railway men for military service, will be made public within the next few days, and it will be found drastic enough to please most of the advocates of m* lional economy. Its details, indeed, are likely to come as something of a shock to people who have not realised quite liow seriously the Government is taking its responsibilities in the matter of pro-i viding men for the farces.

There is reason to believe that plea 4 sure trains and excursion trains, incluai ing race trains, are going to disappear almost entirely after the end of next month. Presumably this will mean a . big curtailment of racing, since some of the most important courses are entirely dependent upon railway communication for moving patrons. Then there will be a drastic reduction in suburban services, •vhich will be arranged on sternly utilitarian lines. Afternoon shopping trains, late theatre trains and luxuries of that" sort are to be suspended. Late trains are likely to be reduced severely all loimd, since they make important ad- * ditions to the working hours of the stall's without giving corresponding benefits from the point of view of the Government. Express services are sure to be cut down.

The reduced services necessarily will mean reduced traffic. If they do, not bring about this result automatically, the next step will be the raising of fares, but probably nothing of this kind will be necessary during the winter months, The spring may bring its own problems. It' may bo noted tha* when once the services have been reduced and the men thus rendered available have been sent into the forces, the Department will not be able to increase the services again until the war is over and the troops have returned. That is a fact that ha* been faced by the Minister and his ajviscrs.