Restoring the Service.

Few of the general public, perhaps, fully realise what such an occurrence as that of Saturday means to those in control of the service-how many things have to be attended to before the service is again put into running order. Any railway accident has a decidedly unsetting tendency, but it can easily be understood that one which results in blocking the through line has consequences far more serious than the ordinary mishap. It was, of course, necessary to get into touch with headquarters without delay, an S. O. S. was sent out for assistance to clear the line; and north and south responded with alacrity. The accident resulted in hundreds of south-bounds passengers being momentarily marooned in Timaru, and the first care of the stationmaster, Mr. A. E. Firman, as soon as he was satisfied that all were safe, was to make provision for the continuation of their journey. With the greatest promptitude, he summoned all his resources, and a train was got in readiness with such facility that a few minutes after 1 o'clock the passengers were able to continue their journey south-a very fine piece of work indeed.

The Timaru “Herald” sums up the position in the following paragraph:—

Having seen the expeditious way in which the Railway Department handled the big and unusual job of making good the damage caused by Saturday's train disaster here, no one is likely to associate inefficiecy with it. The operations were all well directed and most capably carried out, with the result that the public will suffer the minimum inconvenience, and the train services will be running smoothly again in the shortest possible time.