Appeal To Motorists

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29998, 6 December 1962, Page 16

Appeal To Motorists

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, Dec. 5. The Government will cover the liability to passengers of motorists who help move people during the tw >-day rail stoppage, the Minister of Railways, and Transport (Mr McAlpine) said today. Whether in private or business motor-cars, motorists who assisted w’ould be covered by the Government to the extent that they were not already covered by their existing insurance policies. “I appeal to all private motorists who have room in their cars to convey passengers to and from their work during rail and bus stoppage over the next two days,” Mr McAlpine said. “This action will be of very real assistance to many thousands of people in the community.” The strike of A.S.R.S. members meant that all railway transport ser-

vices throughout the whole country, both road and rail, would be brought to a standstill over the next two days. The passenger train and road services affected carried upward of 160.000 passengers every working day. The goods train services carried up to 40.000 tons of goods and livestock each day. Passengers, motor-cars, and freight moving on the inter-island ferry Aramoana, and on the railair service would be stopped. The effects of the stoppage obviously would be widespread. Workers and schoolchildren have been asked to leave home early tomorrow and on Friday. The Government and local authorities are cooperating to cope with the traffic. They expect one of the greatest volumes of traffic for a single period in New Zealand.