RUSH FOR PERMITS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24793, 18 December 1941, Page 6

RUSH FOR PERMITS

TRAVELLERS BY TRAIN LONG QUEUES AT STATION From .9 a.m. until 6 p.m. yesterday, a special office established at the Railway Station was besieged by long queues of persons desirous of obtaining permission to travel more than 100 miTes on or after Saturday next. It was an arduous day for the members of the railway staff assigned to the work of deciding whether permits should be granted, and large numbers of anxious persons were lined up to explain their reasons for travelling. The number of persons interviewed individually by the officers must have approached the 1000 mark. Good progress has been made in redeeming rail tickets previously issued, and the acceptance of new reservations from passengers to whom permits to travel have already been issued is also under way. The Railways Department emphasises that persons who are merely on holiday bent should refrain from approaching the officers for permits. The production of a written statement of reasons why permits should be granted would assist the officers in their work. In addition to the work of investigating the claims of persons who desired to purchase tickets, about 6000 reservations already made will have to be considered individually by the Railways Department. It was stated yesterday by an official of the department that the privilege of reserving seats for journeys of less than 100 miles by express, mail, and passenger trains on and after Saturday will be withdrawn because of the circumstances in which the restrictions were imposed.

AUCKLAND APPLICATIONS ACCEPTANCE SUSPENDED (PA.) AUCKLAND, Dec. 17. The suspension of the acceptance of railway travel applications was found necessary this afternoon to survey the applications in hand. Operations will be resumed to-morrow morning. A heavy strain has been imposed on the railway booking staff, and the suspension is necessary to avoid a breakdown in the plans.