THE RAILWAY SERVICE.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 August 1919, Page 3

THE RAILWAY SERVICE.

THE DATE OF RESUMPTION. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, Aug. 20. The present attitude of the Railway Department regarding tile railway services is one of reserve. The authorities will notssaty t what they expect the situation to bo next month and the reason probably i 8 that they do not know themselves. Statements that a definite date has been fixed for the resumption of the full train services are not well founded, though as a matter of fact a date that has been mentioned in the second week of September may prove to be the right one.

The whole matter at the moment is dependent on the Australian strike. Railway Department has a certain amount of coal in hand, largely as a result of the economies that have been effected. If there was an assured supply ahead sufficiently large to supply the Department's normal needs, it .roukl be safe to resume full running ahead of the delivery of the coal, sinco the present stock could be used. The Department can get coal from Australia when the seamen resume work. That is the position in a nutshell. The Government lias made arrangements that are expected to bring a large amount of coal to New Zealand from Australia when the shipping is available. It is stated that the Railway Department is also taking a long view.