OTHER- MATTERS.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14970, 18 May 1914, Page 3

OTHER- MATTERS.

Mr E. G. Stave-lev. president cf the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, introduced a deputation consisting oi Messrs Sleigh. Gibson. Frostiek, Davidson, Meares', Bourne and Kave, Messrs GiDson ana trosti-K leprescming tne Citizens' Association. Mr Stavelev asked, firstly, for tbe ) speeding up of trie tram service between Christchurch.aud 1 .yv.eiton and 0:1 the branch lines. Pie called attention to the fact that somo train, from Christchurch to Lyttelton took -"o minutes, while others ran tho di-tanc-in 20. He thought that too much time was wasted at i'*o stations. The speaker ■ I referred to the matter brought up by ■> the Naoier Chamber of Commerce, iiariielv," the issuing of tickets in advanr.'of the day of ■.ravel. Tho establishment of town booking offices should b& further considered. .wr Stavelev also drew attention to the delay at "the Christchurr.h luggage office in' pitting ir. avx\ taking out luggage, and finnliy referred to the--'inadequacy of the present Chmtchur .h «-™tio!i generally. .Mr A. Kaye mentioned the question of the shortage of trucks,lor shipping traffic, this b-*l:ig cspe'-ially with reference to Lyttelton, and h>_' also said that something should be dono in regard to the examination of passengers' heaw baggace by tho Customs. At the present time, he said, the practice was for the bf>">-<-v luggage to be examined hi one of the sheds in Lytteltou, on the wharf, and this meant the dolayin-j of the pa.-5Se .- cers at Lyttelton lor two or three hours after the arrival of vessels. Ho reminded Mr Hiley that a shed for the examination of luggage had been erected in Christchurch by the Railway Department in '* 19C6. but owing to some difficulty it had not been, used for tb.9 purees© for more than a day, Mr Millar, tlie then Minister of Railways. instruction, for a reversion to tne previous practice. Mr Kayo i-oix-d that steps would be taken to right this matter, for tho convenience of overseas passengers. Mr Bourne, manager of .the National Mortgage and Agency Company, calied attention to some anomalies in the railway tariff, which he hoped would be adjusted when the tariff was revised. The shortage of trucks and tarpaulins vras mentioned, and also tho expense of transferring railway passes from ono member of a firm to another. In reply to the deputation. th«» General Manager said that the accele-ration-of the train-service was having tho attention of the Railway Department 'at 'present, and the "questions raised by Mr Stavelev wonld receive care.u!..attention. He" reminded Mr Stay.ley that tickets w<__, i__i_d in ad ; »

vanco at the present time, at tho principal stations. Town booking offices in tho principal towns were an e_periment, but if such a scheme was adopted, the claims of Christchurch would not be lost sight of. Attention had been called to tho delay at the leftluggage office, but a new method of storing had recently been tried with success at Christchurch, and it would be extended to the other stations. Mr Hiley said he did not.think there was any logitimate cause for complaint at Christ- : church now. Tho matter of tho tnade- : quacy of the station at Christchurch I would bo dealt with, and a now station j built, as soon as tbe necessary funds ; could bo obtained by tho Minister of Railways. Ho admitted the shortage of trucks to deal with the grcrwjng business, and informed the deputation that the building programme for this year provided for the shops being fully occupied in the building of waggons, cars, etc. Tho delays caused by withdrawing trucks for passenger traffic during the holidays was realised, and in -ft- new programme arrangements were being made for tho building of a combination vehicle, which would bo suitec. for goods or for passengers in holiday times. This was only a commencement, but it would minimise tho strain on the goods rolling stock. He undertook to look into the question of Customs examination at Christchurch', instead of at Lyttelton, with the object of seeing if Mr Kayo's wish could be carried out, either now or when the new Christchurch station was built. The anomalies referred jto by Mr Bourne had been noted, and would ioceive consideration-when the matter of tariff revision was settled. '"'"There probably are cases of anomalies," saFd Mr Hiley, "which could bo re- j moved, although all were included in tho rate-book in tho first instance to serve some useful purpose. These anomalies cannot be removed by „ie re- , duction of the rates, without other i rates bains raised to compensato for the loss of revenue." He re_ minded the deputation that the trend of rates, both in the Old Country and in Australia, was in an upward direction to compensate the railways for the increases in wages paid to tho staff and for tho additional cost of materialetc. The matter of tho transfer of railway passes would be looked into. Mr II '»v concluded a busy day by receiving \fireo or four deputations from meinu-rs of jjie. railway staff on private DepartmuntaT business. I