RAILWAY SERVICES

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 March 1917, Page 3

RAILWAY SERVICES

SCiiK.\!K t-'OU ct'IITAILMEN'!.

CKA'KHAL M.\XAC!-:U LNTKUVIKWKI). [l'l.ii l'lt£S3 ASSOCIATION.] CIIHISTfIiUIU'Ii, March 10. Interviewed to-day. Mr. Hi ley ((.ieueral Manager of the Railways) said that he ci»iild"not yet fully explain the scheme fur the ctiitailment of the railway service which lie hail leeently drawn up, because it was stil! before the Minister, and had to he dealt with by Cabinet, but lie could say thai some fairly drastic proposals were being made, which were calculated to have a distinct; effect upon the passenger traffic if the scheme were adopt, cd. He could not si.v how many men it w,»uld release for military service. If curtailment were decided oil, it, was no good doing things by halves, us the goods service must be kept up. The pruning must necessarily be at the expense of the passenger traffic, "It is possible,"' lie said, "that llie curtailment of the passenger train': will have lo be billowed up by a rise in fares.' lie did not think- the few race trains nyW inn i "iihi be held accountable for keeping an unnecessarily I a rye slab, tor in practically ail caws these trains were worked as "extra" by a staff that was only large enough to cope with the ordinary work. Mr. Hiley added that he thought the- criticism of the Department for appealing for its employees at the Military Appeal Hoards was a little unfair, and probably atu.'.e tluvnigh want of knowledge of the |'a< is.