ROAD OR RAIL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 99, 29 April 1938, Page 8

ROAD OR RAIL.

TRAVEL ALTERNATIVES,

PROVISION BY DEPARTMENT.

(By Telepi-npli.—Own Correspondent.) CHRISTCHTRCH, this dav.

"The Railway* Department can now provide alternative modee of travel by rail or road over most of the principal routes of the South Island." said the Minister of Railway!:, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, when referring to the latest purchases of passenger road services.

'"By an efficient co-ordination of the two forms of transport are afforded a wide and attractive choice of time-tables and routes," Mr. Sullivan added.

The purchases to which the Minister referred were those of Lister's Motors (Timaru). Dalzell's Motors (Hairarden) and Mocketfii Motors (Culverden). Tlioisp *=ervioe=. he explained, formed connecting links between the Department's exktjn<: road services covering the routes between Blenlwim. Waiaa and Parnassus-, between Culverden *nd AYet-tport: between Cliristchurch and Akaroa; and between Timaru and Dunedin.

''The co-ordination of these services under the Department"? control will reduce overlapping and duplication," said Mr. Sullivan, '"and will t*?rve the public interest by enabling fuller and better use to be made of both staff and Vi'lliclCr:. Services in South. 'From Dunedin the Railway Department's road operations already extend to Invprcar;rill. Eglinprtou Valley. Queenstown and Lake Wanaka: while on the ("nasi a service is run from fireyiMtiiitli to Hokiiika and the glaciers at Waiho and Weheka. On completion of th<> mad between Westland and Otapo. via tlie Haa-t Pa*«. the Department's firpynmnth-Wi'lipka pa—emiT service will aW> lie linked up at the <=ontliem end with existing road and railway <~e r vices. "'Although it will he a few year* ltefore the*p plans can l>e fully con"unimated. tlu , ini|Nirtance of lonkin? well ahead in prnvidin.2 facilities wliirh will permit tonri-t* to travel round the South l<lan<l without retracing: their >!<•;■<. and in a minimum of time, i* well ivali«ed l.v the Covernment."