DELAYED DEPARTURES

Evening Star, Issue 23829, 8 March 1941, Page 10

DELAYED DEPARTURES

INCONSIDERATE SOLDIERS MUST TRAVEL BY APPOINTED TRAINS Through a number of troops yesterday and this morning failing to catch the trains allotted to them for their return to camp, considerable inconvenience was caused the railway and Army authorities. Some 100 men sought to travel north yesterday by the second express instead of by the 8.45. on which accommodation bad been set aside, while again this morning a number of men bound for Bnrhham elected to stay behind until the special carrying Invercargill troops should reach here. This action yesterday caused overcrowding on the 11.85 express, as it was not possible to put on extra carriages to convey the belated departees. The arranging of trains necessitates much preliminary work and organisation on the part of the Army and railway authorities, and any lack of consideration shown by the men throws that organisation out of gear. Leave is extended as long as possible, but in order to ensure smooth running of the system evolved, cooperation is essential from the men. If the action apparent this time becomes a practice, then some of the present privileges in the way of train travel will have to be eliminated, and a rather harsh block ticket system introduced. The area staff officer (Major J. Jeffrey) this morning said; “ It is in. the interests of troops returning to camp to travel on the trains to which they are allotted. This should be borne in mind by those men who are likely to be concerned in the future.” To-day 432 men returned to Burnham and Trentham by special train at 9.5. A further special from Invercargill carried two drafts totalling 413 men for the same camps.