TERRITORIALS IN CAMP

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 October 1940, Page 6

TERRITORIALS IN CAMP

MEANS OF GETTING HOME AT WEEKEND MR J. ROBERTSON, M.P., SECURES SPECIAL RAIL-CAR. DEPARTMENT’S PROPOSAL. On its being represented to the member for the district (Mr J. Robertson) that Wairarapa Territorials now in camp at Dannevirke were under a hardship in having no means of getting home at the weekend, he took the matter up with the Railways Department. The Department has now undertaken to run a special rail-car at weekends for the conveyance of Territorials. Mr Robertson has received the following letter on the subject from the Minister of Railways (Mr Sullivan): — “With reference to the inquiry that you addressed to Mr Casey (General Manager of Railways) in regard to the running of a rail-car for the benefit of the troops at Dannevirke, I have been advised by Mr Casey that the only car that would be available would be the Arawa. This is a combined goods and passenger car and would accommodate about 49 passengers —twenty in the passenger compartment, 16 in the goods compartment and thirteen on stools in the goods compartment. ... It is suggested that the car should leave Dannevirke at 1.40 p.m. on Saturday and arrive at Cross Creek at 5.17 p.m. On the return journey it could leave Cross Creek at, say, 9 p.m. on Sunday, arriving at Dannevirke at 11.40 p.m. I am advised that the Department would not make any money out of this project on account of the empty running. but your suggestion is being acceded to by action going in the direction indicated by you.’'