RAILWAY PERMITS

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 283, 26 August 1944, Page 8

RAILWAY PERMITS

No More Required From September 6 CURTAILED SERVICES TO CONTINUE A statement that the permit system for railway travel would cease to operate from September 6 was made yesterday, by the Minister of Railways, Mr. Semple, lie said that passengers would be able to travel up to the limit of available accommodation, and would be able to make seat reservations on principal trains and rail-cars. . . , zts a result of the experience gained in the past three months by allowing unrestricted travel on secondary train services, it had been demonstrated that the great bulk of travellers could accommodate themselves to the changed circumstances of travel resulting from the coal shortage, he said. With regard to express train travel, it had been found that a proportion of those travelling on permits had obtained these by misleading representations’based on a knowledge ot the conditions under which permit officers granted permits; while, certain others hud adopted other subterfuges to ei able them to take long journeys. “This has caused a measure of dissatisfaction and has induced a feeling that the person requiring to make an essential journey has been unduly handicapped,” stated the Minister. It has accordingly been decided to abandon the use of permits as from and including any train commencing its journey on Wednesday, September 6. . .. “The seat reservation system for principal trains and rail-car services, however, will remain iu operation, intending passengers being permitted to reserve their seats up to one week ahead of day of travel. . , , . “Owing to the continued coal shortage, it will not be possible to restore, the train services to normal in the meantime At present the stocks of coal in the North Island are sufficient for nine days requirements under the present curtailed service, and in the South Island for ten days.” , ■ , , The Minister made an appeal to the publie to ‘refrain from rushing the express trains, leaving these, particularly the North Island Main Trunk expresses and those running between Christchurch and Dunedin, to those whose travel was essential for business or other urgent reasons. That was important, as experience had shown that essential travel was extensive. The public were accordingly specially urged, to continue to use the secondary services to the greatest possible extent. , ..... “Some difficulty,’ added the Minister, “may be experienced by passengers joining trains at intermediate stations, and opinions are widely expressed that the public would rather put up with tnis discomfort than continue with the permit system. Inquiries made in Australia, Canada, and England reveal that the current practice is to allow passengers to travel without permit to the limit of available accommodation, although this often necessitates a fairly large proportion of passengers standing for considerable distances.”