TRAIN SERVICE.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 July 1919, Page 4

TRAIN SERVICE.

FURTHER KESTRIOTIONS. ONLY ESSENTIAL TRAFFIC TO BE PERMITTED. By Telegraph.—Presi Aisooiatioib \ Wellington, Last Night; N * Cabinet has approved the recommends* tion by the Minister of Railways te> restrict passenger traffic still further ,to> cases in which travelling is essential, and the tonnage so saved will be available for goods. CONDITIONS MAY BE SLIGHTLY RELAXED SHORTLY. DEPUTATION" TO OABINEX, SNAGGING THE MOKAU. Wellington, Last Night. A deputation representing local bodies' and business men of the Manawatu district waited upon Ministers to-day with reference to the railway restrictions. The suggestions of tho deputation, as embodied in ,the resolution* of the recent conference, were: (1) That the railways should carry essential goods ; so as not to hamper industry and to prevent the closing of industries, thereby causing unemployment; (2) in view of the danger of the absolute paralysis of the industry, further efforts should be made to economise coal, and passenger services should be further restricted and national regulations framed to restrict lighting and tramway services; (3)' in view of the present state of the coal industry, as shown in the Board of Trade s coal report, urgent Government action must be taken to Improve the housing and other conditions »t the mines; (4) that the Minister for Munitions be asked to make a public declaration as to what steps are being taken to relieve the position; (B) that the Government take immediate steps to snag the Mokau River to permit of the large deposit of coal there being taken out to supply the ports between New Plymouth and Foxton.

In,™ J"? A " en ' '" T W in & «»W be knew the time was one of difficulty for hose engaged in .industry, but he believed they would prove to have suffl. cient pluck to meet the difficulties. He r n OU Jii sk th .r. to make evar y «*«w to carry on their industries and prevent unemployment. It had been suited hat new mmes should be opened, but the Government had come to the conelusion that it was impracticable to open new mines, and that tlje only safe courae was to concentrate the available labor in the developed mines, from wMcfc the output of coal could be obtained. The Government was anxious to improve the condit.ons of the miners in regard to housing, but the improvement mM take.time, and would not have any effect Z\ Z'T 1 ? iffioUl * » *« P<H«lble mat the housing question was beine toSTS? !?•""*"*"■ *«2 Mate mine there was good accommodation, and miners could earn up to 35s ft day there. He suggested that the deputation should not go away with the belief that the houtolprobKfSS t£ M uT "£*** the pment Acuity, The Mokau River scheme was not feaBiblei as if the river were snagged it Sn B ° me Ume t0 ** *•»»»•

-•♦ Si V he de P uta «on%ould discus* with the General Manager specific oa*« m winch relief might be given. The Department would be glad of the advice of busmess men as to what goods oueht to be earned, when a little relaxation could be made. The passenger trftffic WM ™ down as much as possible. Only a certain number of carriages would be put on the trains, and these would hare to carry only those people obliged to travel A suggestion had been made that the" Department should use the coal now be! mg used by steamers for running tha express trains, but bunker coal wag not T '« J°J loco n»«»M. The coal used by the Pateena on the trip to Onohunsa would not take the express further thin Patoerston. The prospects wcrT a little better than when the cut was made ft ! was possible that towards the end of the month a .1 git relaxation might he made n regard to goods traffic, which would have to be increased first. It might £ possible to do something about the «.«• of stud, stock, .timber,fl« ?nd cement for dairy factories. The Hon. Mac Donald said that snn,» men were coming back to he State mines but whether this was to become general he did not know. As far ,? ! sible the Government had tried to he miners and induce them to get into the mines The State mines seemed to be satisfactory to the miners, TrtthiS were always houses .to let there ThS housing conditions at some of the other mines were not good, but a l arffe number of the unsatisfactory houses w«» OW S whether these men would move into rented houses if they were provided Z

The Hon. Myere mid the outlook was < ,at tho moment more hopeful. There coal. The output of the New Zealand mines must be inched. To Huree.fc that there should be higher wage S out mcreased output was MfcinTfo? £ .mposs.ble. All must aim „ t * !£™ efficient* and greater output. Ow?n£ to the effort, of tho Oovemmen He hadl diMMMd with the general man ager of the Union Company the S b-hty of restricting steamV mS The question was still under W «E > tr^^j?' position wTCi-' toward. happeneTS J 0 ht?tt