RESTRICTED TRAIN SERVICE.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 August 1919, Page 5

RESTRICTED TRAIN SERVICE.

SATISFACTION AT WANGANUI By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wanganui, Last Night, A meeting of business men was held under the auspices of the Chamber of Commerce to-night to diaeuas the restricted railway service, and a proposal to form a railway goods transit committee to supervise the despatch of goods by rail. The meeting was of opinion that Wanganui was not badly off, and it was decided there was no need at the present time to form a local committee. It was also resolved to thank the local railway authorities for the way they were dealing with the position.

BOARDING' SCHOOLS DIFFICULTIES.

Christehureh, Last Night. The railway rcstiictions as they apply to boarding schools were referred to tonight by Mr. F. Milner, rector of the Waitaki Boys' High School. He pointed out that 290 boys wished to return home for the vacation, but permits to travel could not be obtained, notwithstanding that he bad made representations to the railway authorities that such travelling was essential, though perhaps not for commercial reasons. They could not be kept at school owing to the terms of tho contract with the teaching and domestic staffs, which provided that they were to be released during vacation. The difficulty had been got over in regard to many southern boys by parents taking tbem off in motors, while others had set off for their homes on push cycles. Thirty Auckland boys had been motored to Dunedin, and had succeeded in securing berths in the Mokoia, but many Wellington boys who had gone down on a similar mission Lad been shut out. In other eases boys had been motored to Christehureh and travelled north in the ferry steamers. Mr. Milner said that once tho boys arrived in Canterbury they were much better treated by the railway officials, and wh«re thoy desired it, were permitted to travel by rail on payment of the full fare. He had communicated this fact to the railway authorities in Dimdein, but received a reply that such conditions were not being adopted in Otago, and if he placed any boarder from th« schooj aboard a train a prosecution would follow. "We have had a very bad week indeed." concluded Mr. Milner, "but the big majority of the boarders have gone. The next question will be how are we going to get them back."