Dining-cars On Trains “Not Possible”

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30873, 6 October 1965, Page 8

Dining-cars On Trains “Not Possible”

Because of the structure of tracks and economic considerations it was not possible to equip trains with dining-cars, said the Minister of Railways (Mr McAlpine) in a letter received by the South Island Publicity Association at its meeting in Christchurch. The association had criticised the standard of refreshment facilities and suggested to the Minister that refreshment rooms at stations be replaced by dining-cars attached to trains. The Minister said that every effort was made to maintain a high standard of refreshments in clean surroundings, and this had been achieved. A member said the association should try to protect women and children from “this dreadful scrum which goes down at every railway station where there is a refreshment room.” . Another said that a small boy was still in hospital recovering from severe injuries suffered when dashing from a train to refreshment rooms. The boy had slipped on the icy platform, and had subsequently had »a leg amputated.

The association decided to ask the Minister to send a senior officer of the department to discuss the question further. Growing Membership The chief executive officer (Mr M. F. Foate) told the meeting that during the last 12 months membership had grown to 2448, ah increase of 330. Subscriptions received till September 30 amounted to £10,174, compared with £8440 for the previous year. Sales from publications exceeded £3OOO and grants totalled £1590. The association spent £10,440 on publications.