RAILWAY RESTRICTIONS

Grey River Argus, 17 February 1945, Page 4

RAILWAY RESTRICTIONS

N.I. LIMITED EXPRESS CANCELLED. P.A. WELLINGTON, February 16. The cancellation as from next week of the North Island Main Trunk Limited Express trains was announced today by the Head Office of the Railways Department. It was stated that from now on these trains would not run until further notice. These additional restrictions will mean a reduction of four through expresses weekly on the Main Trunk line, for under the existing restricted schedule Limited expresses have run from Wellington to Auckland and from Auckland to Wellington on Mondajj and Friday of each week. “The coal situation is still desperate,” said the Minister of Railways (Mr Semple), when discussing the restrictions in a subsequent interview. “We are reluctant to impose further restrictions, but it has to be done to maintain essential services. As soon as the coal situation improves the Department will be only too happy to restore services that have curtailed. Services ...required for the transport of produce for export, livestock, and other essential commodities must be maintained at all costs.”