THE RAILWAYS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 5 September 1924, Page 5

THE RAILWAYS

MOTOR COMPETITION

FIRST MOVE BY DEPARTMENT

(By Telegraph.— Special to Star.) _ WELLINGTON, Sept. 4. Ihe newly-formed commercial branch of the Railway Department has made c . i ls k r^< ? ve ' f° reduce the handicap of the railways, in competing against motor traffic. The place selected for the experiment i s the Hutt Valley, winch is served by a double line of railway from Wellington running up the western side of the valley. Most of the residential settlement of Petone and the Hutt is on the east side of the valley, with the result that hundreds of residents prefer to be picked, up m their own streets by a motor bus and taken direct to Wellington over the bitumenised surface road. The Minister for Railways (Hon. J G. announced to-day that from next Monday, by arrangement with certain motor ’bus proprietors, through bus and rail tickets, known as shopping tickets, will be issued, covering the journey from any part of the Hutt or Petone to the station and the train journey to Wellington. This service will exclude commutation ticket holders, as it will operate only between 9.45 a.m. and 4.30 p.m/ and on the special tickets the ’buses will take passengers on anv route where profitable business is available, and it is intended to run two extra trains daily for the convenience of suburban residents wishing to shop in the eitv. Combined ’bus and rail tickets will be also issued on Sundavs.