RESTRICTED TRAIN SERVICE.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 August 1919, Page 4

RESTRICTED TRAIN SERVICE.

IMPORTANT IMPROVEMENT SHORTLY. IF AUSTRALIAN STRIKE SETTLED; (By Wire.—Own Correspondent.) Wellington, Aug. -19. It is persistently rumoured that the authorities intend to restore the railway services, or at least make important improvements in the present arrange? ments early next month. No official confirmation of this is at present obtainable'., Your correspondent gathered ill the' course of inquiries on the subject that the position was dependent on the Au«: traliar. seamen. If the strike is fettled speedily, the coal shipments that will be* come available by the first week in September will considerable increase railwaystocks Much pressure is being brought to bear upon the Government, and Ministers indicate that the resumption of railway services will not be delayed a day longer than is necessary.

REFUSAL TO CARRY SECONDARY SCHOLARS.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, Last Night, Very great vexation is being caused throughout Canterbury by the refuaal of the Railway Department to carry boy and girl boarders of the big secondary schools who are about to return to their homes for the vacation. The Depart' ment has flatly refused to carry these young passengers, on the ground that their travelling is not essential. The headmaster of Christ's College stated he was trying every way ta meet the difficulty by restricting the number of boy» travelling by train. He had arranged to have motor cars brought from Hastings on Thursday to take eighteen Christ 5 * College boys from Wellington to Napier, and other boys had been sent north by the Makoia last night, although the term did not end until Tuesday, TIMARU SCHOOL INCONVENIENCED. Timaru, Last Night. The railway policy in not carrying school boarders home for the vacation is causing a maximum of inconvenience to the Timaru High Schools owing to the announcement of the policy not being made till this morning, praotlcally eight hours before the schools break up. The first notice (through the press) was that pupils would be carried on payment of full fare, and boys from Otago have been carried through Cantley. The Timaru stationmaster asked Christchurch for instructions during the middle of last week, receiving no answer till this morning, when .he was instructed that the scholars would not be allowed to travel.

About 140 boarders of the TiniMu Higtf School are affected. They cannot be kept at the schools, as domestic staffs are entitled to holidays. The lateness of the Department's veto makes it specially difficult to make other arrangements.