THE TRAIN SERVICE

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXVIII, Issue LXXVIII, 25 July 1919, Page 8

THE TRAIN SERVICE

MR WILKINSON'S APPEAL

Sir James Allen has replied to Mr Wilkinson, M.P. for Egmont: "In reply to your telegram of the 22nd, I regret that country people are being put to int-ohvenience owing to restricted railway services, and would be only too pleased if I could assure you tfcat the inconvenience could be promptly removed. If th© train services were restored there wouM only be six atid a~ naif days' supply of coal at Wanganui and ten days' supply at New Plymouth and Hawera if four thousand tons ot ooa 1 were landed in New; Plymouth during last month. It certainly was not for the lailfway1, but had to supply gas works and other necessities. There are some hopes that the supply will be improved, and if..this materialises,, the Minister of Railways will be only too delighted t>o improve the goods traffic at the very earliest opportunity. Mr , Wilkinson replied: "Your telegram received. My request was not for full restoration ot railway services, but for two goods trains weekly from Patea and New Plymouth respectively to. say, Stratford, thus serving inland T&ranaki with necessary1 (goods without which many undertakings must be brought to a com-' plete standstill, I again urge this! course of action and trust that you will | immediately give instructions to have it 1 carried put. Regarding four thousand! tons of -coal which arrived -at-■ New Plymouth, it was surely possible for the1 Railway Department to secure supplies' from tihis source. Further, country pexv! pie cannot understand why tramway j cervices in large centres continue running without a stoppage of a single oar! in face of Tailway stoppage. It is free-' ly stated here, that the stoppage is not [ befeause of coal shortage, but because of defective- rolling stock. One firm! here has fifty milking plants to insrtal,' all of which require cement. If these machines are not installed, as arranged, it will seriously interfere with the dairy industry. Taranaki County Council absolutely prohibiting heavy motor ye-: lick traffic and threatening prosecution." i