TRAIN CURTAILMENT.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume IX, Issue 172, 7 July 1919, Page 5

TRAIN CURTAILMENT.

POSTMASTER-GENERAL’S INDEPENDENCE.

Christchurch, July 6. The Canterbury Progress League ha* received the following telegram from the Hon. W . D. S. McDonald, actmg* Postmaster-General, with regard to tka league’s offer to assist in the carriage of mails to and from country districts; 1 beg to acknowledge receipt of your telegram conveying the resolution passed by the executive of your in connection with the arrangements made by it for the maintainance df'thte mail service in North Canterbury and to state that the Department wiU not recognise arrangements made without its authority, nor will it reimburse th* league for expenditure incurred without the special authority of the Department, which is .taking the necessary steps to make good the hiatus created by the interruptions to the railway service. Whilst appreciating the offer made by your league I am not by any means disposed to allow the functions of the Department to be usurped fit any person or association.

ANOTHER COALMINING DISPUTE.

MANAGER’S ACTS CHALLENGED.

Wellington, July 7.' The Acting-Prime Minister and th* Minister of Mines have received A, let- ; ter from the Point Elizabeth and Liver - pool State Collieries industrial Union in which the members state they take . grave exception to certain acts cif th* manager of the mines, in connection with which they demand, an within fourteen days, “bailing a sati*- . factory reply,” tbe letter continues, we ask permission of the Miner** Federation executive to employ . such tactics as will, in our opinion, compel the powers that be to take notice of our request.” A MINISTERIAL REPLY. Mr. F. M. Quigley, secretary of the - Hastings Cuambei* of Commerce, ha* received a reply Horn tne Acting-prime Minister (Sir James Alien), regarding representations with relerence to . ttio curtailed time-cable and restrictions OO carriage ot goods, in which he said that , me Chamber's representations , had been noted and that they would receive consideration. lue Bailway Department had, tor a long time past, used every effort to maintain adequate coal . supplies, without success, and the poai- . non was now so acute that drastk> action was imperative in order to try and maintain service sufficient for transport at foodstuffs, until the posi- ■ lion improved. The disabilities imposed by the restrictions were fully realised, and the Department was continuing it* « ' efforts in this direction without relax** tion. All mail and express trains war* cut off and the service on the Main Trunk line was similar to that ol*o ■ where. The chamber’s resolution respecting action by the Government towards restoration of services, reoegani- " sation of the coal industry, obtaining additional shipping and other matter* were receiving the gravest consideratisg* of the Cabinet. ' -