RAILWAY SERVICES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 September 1942, Page 3

RAILWAY SERVICES

DRASTIC REDUCTIONS OWING TO STOPPAGE OF COAL SUPPLIES. ANNOUNCEMENT BY MINISTER. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Drastic reductions in the railway services in the North Island following the stoppage of coal supplies from the Waikato mines were announced last night by the Minister of Railways, Mr Semple. These involve the cutting out of the Limited expresses between Wellington and Auckland, and the curtailment of other important passenger trains such as the Auckland-Rotorua, Auckland-Tauranga and AucklandWhangarei expresses to three days a week. Similar action is to be taken in connection with the Wellington-New Plymouth and ' Wellington-Napier expresses, besides severe reductions in secondary passenger and suburban services. Goods services are to be reduced by 50 per cent. The new schedule is to operate from midnight tonight. A statement setting out the railway curtailments that would be necessary in the event of the Waikato mining stoppage continuing was read to the miners concerned on Sunday by the secretary of the Mine Workers’ Federation, Mr McLagan.- This statement, which was signed by Mr Semple and by the General Manager of Railways, Mr E. Casey, was released last night for publication. It stated inter alia: — “In the North Island there are 7000 tons of New Zealand coal, which is less than one week’s ordinary consumption. There is in addition a reserve of 38,000 tons of Newcastle coal equal to paproximately five weeks’ ordinary consumption, but portion of this may be requisitioned for essential industries such as gas works. WHAT CURTAILMENT MEANS. If the non-supply of New Zealand coal continues, it will be necessary to immediately cut the goods and passenger services by 50 per cent in order to eke out the remaining supplies for as long a period as possible. This would mean that 50 per cent of the present tonnage would not be carried, preference being given to food and material for military requirements and also food for public institutions anddhe general public. For instance, any timber not required for military purposes would not be carried, live stock not required for immediate slaughtering purposes would not be carried, and requirements for the civilian population would be reduced to an aosoiute minimum.

SELLING DOMINION TO ENEMY. “In other words, continuation of the coal stoppage- in the North Island means selling the country to the enemy and New Zealanders would go down in history as traitors to their allies, particularly to the great American nation which has sent us such magnificent help and support in the time of our country's direst need. This is happening at a time when the Japanese menace in the South Pacific is more threatening than over and when one of the greatest naval and military struggles is about to eventuate which will involve our very existence as a free nation in the future.”

Mr Semple said in an interview last night that this statement had not the faintest influence on the miners. He regretted having to make so serious an announcement, knowing what it would mean to the general public, particularly of the North Island. It would mean tremendous inconvenience and probably ruin to scores of people. The authorities had been compelled to take these steps in order to continue a skeleton service as long as possible. He had hoped the men would have realised the gravity of the situation at this most critical period in our history, and taken the sensible view and played the game. UNION PRINCIPLES VIOLATED. The men concerned had ignored the facts, violated every principle of unionism, ignored the request of (heir own organisation—the Mine Workers’ Federation—as well as the appeal of the Federation of Labour. By doing this they had placed themselves outside the pale of unionism, played into the hands of the Japanese, and treated the Government’s appeal to reason with contempt, and declared civil war on the civilian community. Mr Semple said he had been associated with industrial organisations all his life, but never had he known of anything more dangerous to the best interests of the people of New Zealand, and even to trades unionism itself, when the youth of the country was fighting for liberty and life in the battle zones of the world. “I am convinced in my. own mind, knowing the miners of this country as I do, that they will not condone this stoppage of war production,” said Mr Semple. “Many of them have sons fighting overseas. It is the work of a handful of wreckers who are the enemies of this country, and who are playing the game of the enemy—in other words, the enemy within,”