EXTRA TRAINS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 284, 30 November 1944, Page 6

EXTRA TRAINS

HOLIDAY TRAVEL EXPRESS RUNS DAILY (By TelegTaph.—Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, this day. To meet the needs of the general public, a certain number of extra trains will be run during the forthcoming holiday season. This was announced this morning by the Minister of Railways. Mr. Semple. Express trains will run daily from December 18 to January 6, and a certain number of extra expresses will be run between the principal towns of the Dominion on days whfti peak traffic is anticipated, such as December 22. From Saturday, December 2, seat reservations may be made fourteen days ahead of the date of travel. On Monday, January 8, railways will revert to the restricted service now in operation. The Minister explained that the trains mentioned would be additional to no fewer than 52 special trains for military personnel on leave. "Coal Still Greatest Difficulty" "It has not been easy to an ange a schedule for holiday trains, and the programme agreed upon represents the maximum services in difficult circumstances," said Mr.Semple. "The supply of coal is still the greatest difficulty, and in view of the fact that the mines will be closed from December 20 to January 8, stocks will be substantially depleted during the holiday period. After a thorough review of the coal position, it has been found possible to provide a reasonable service for the people. Some advantage to passenger trains will accrue from the holiday time decline in goods traffic, through the cancellation of a fair proportion of scheduled goods services. _ "It is proposed to run mileage during the holiday season based on the average weekly consumption of coal for the past year. Since the train restrictions were brought into operation in January last the railways have consumed an average of 11,000 tons of coal per week, and the train mileage run has been based on that figure. Consumption during the holiday period, when the mines are closed, will amount to 33,000 tons, and with the coal received from open-cast mines, which will work during the holiday season, it is hoped that the Department will have approximately 16,000 tons on hand on January 15, which is the minimum quantity of coal required to provide services to meet the - very heavy demands for transport of livestock and other essential commodities from that date onwards during the peak season. "Apart from providing extra services for the civilian population, the Department is required to provide 26 special trains on December 16, 17 and 18 for military leave, and a further 26 specials on December 27, 28 and 29.

"To meet the needs of the public, the Department has decided to restore the express trains to daily running from December 18 to January 6, in addition to which a certain number of extra expresses will be run between the principal towns of the Dominion on the days when peak traffic is anticipated, such as December 22. On Monday, January 8. the railways will revert to the restricted service now in operation." Advance Booking of Seats As a certain amount of inconvenience to the public had resulted from the necessary curtailment effected some time ago in the matter of advance booking of seat reservations, added the Minister, as from Saturday, December 2, intending passengers would be permitted to book seat reservations up to 14 days ahead of the date of travel. It had not been possible to make a statement earlier because it had been essential to make certain that all the conditions which were likely to obtain in respect of coal stocks and other difficulties were overcome before arrangements were made.

The Minister said he wanted to emphasise how much he regretted not being able to give a full and complete service, but, as the figures revealed, that was impossible. "If we took the risk," he declared, "we Would probably paralyse our services in January, when we will be called upon to carry livestock and other seasonal traffic. We must protect ourselves against any risk in this respect. After all, the service that we are going to give at Christmas is far sifperior to the service given in any other part of the British Commonwealth, and_ it must be remembered too that this is the only period in our existence, particularly in war time, when we have had to depend entirely upon our own coal resources."

Forfeiture Of Holidays The Minister added that the people should be grateful to the men employed in the open-cast mines in New Zealand for they were forfeiting their holidays in the interests of the general public, and had agreed by arrangement with the Minister of Mines, to work right through Christmas. Had it not been for that contribution and sacrifice of their holidays by those men, the Railway Department could not have given the service.