RAIL-CAR SERVICE

Greymouth Evening Star, 28 October 1944, Page 4

RAIL-CAR SERVICE

PROTESTS TO MINISTER Under yesterday’s date, Mr. W. D. Taylor, President of the Westland District Progress League, has again protested to the Minister of Railways (Mr. Semple) against the insufficiency of the rail-car accommodation provided on the Midland line. In a letter to the Minister, which supplemented a telegram of 109 words, Mr. Taylor stated:—

“Referring to our telegrams regarding the provision of a double-unit rail-car for the Greymouth-Christ-church run over the Labour weekend I regret that you were unable to accede to the League’s request. Your second telegram contained no denial of the statement in my telegram of October 18 to the effect that I understood extra steam week-end trains, were running on the Lyttelton-Inver-cargill line at a time when coal shortage was acute. I assumed therefore, that my statement was correct and you can imagine my amazement when I was informed later that no less than eight special trains had run on the line mentioned during the weekend. Will you please advise me if my information is correct? . . “I again strongly urge the provision of a continuous double-unit rail-car or steam train service when the single railcar is unable to cope with the passengers offering. The single unit is entirely inadequate to accommodate the number of people desiring to travel as an enquiry from the local office of the Department will show. The rail-car booking for the night of November 3 opened to-day at 9 a.m. Two persons arrived at the booking window at 4.30 a.m. and took first place in the queue. At 7.20 a.m. 15 intending passengers were waiting to reserve seats. They were informed that it was no use waiting as the railcar was already fully booked. This, as you will see, was lj hours before booking was due to open. At 10 a.m. this morning no less than 97 people had put their names' down for the rail-car and had been placed on the standing list. The net result is that no reservations were held for this district. The system of booking for the railcar has developed into a farce, and the League calls on you to order an immediate investigation by a responsible officer into the system. It must be obvious that a vast amount of the time of the local railway staff must be wasted in explaining the position to members of the public and there is not doubt that they are at present working under extremely difficult conditions.

“There is no need for me to emphasise the Department’s duty to afford adequate travelling and fair booking facilities for all districts, and that there should be no discrimination either as to trains or booking between the different districts. I shall be obliged if you will let me have an early reply.”