STOP-GAP RAIL SERVICES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18694, 28 April 1924, Page 8

STOP-GAP RAIL SERVICES.

INCREASE AT WELLINGTON. NAPIER EXPRESS RETURNS. TEN TRAINS TO SUBURBS. FOUR HEAVY RACE SPECIALS EXCURSIONS'TO SEE FLEET. fBT TELEGRAPH.— association.] WELLINGTON. Sunday. Six suburban trains were run each way on the Hutt line on Saturday and four on the Manawatu line. The Napier express, carrying about 450 passengers, returned right up to time. Four race trains of 18 cars each were well patronised. Everything went off smoothly. The services were worked by a volunteer staff. Mora voluntary assistance is coming in every day, and a number of guards reported themselves for duty at Wellington and elsewhere yesterday. Notwithstanding the difficulties that are being encountered owing to the strike, the department is making* every effort to meet public convenience and hopes to be in a position to extend services within the next few days. The Wellington-Napier express will leave to-morrow at tho usual hour. Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill trains will be run and possibly some coal trains may run from the Waikato district. Arrangements have been made for the conveyance of suburban school children to see the warships on Tuesday. Trains will probably run from Hutt and PeTone and on Wednesday from Plimmerton. Day by day fleet excursion services will go farther afield, and in view of the improving position of the department and the growing optimism in departmental circles, it seems likely that a good proportion of the children will not miss seeing the ships. It is hinted that there is a distinct possibility of a Main Trunk express being run within two or three days.