MANAWATU TRAINS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 727, 28 January 1910, Page 4

MANAWATU TRAINS.

• . ;v ■:r : ; ; r. "SUBURBAN AREA" TO BE '■! REDUCED. ' V DISAPPOINTED DEPUTATION. ..Residents ' of the districts between Johnsonville.:: and Paekakariki sent a .deputation to complain to the. Minister; for Kailwnys (the Hon. J. A. Millar) • yesterday that , the train service- is not satisfactory. . . llr.. W. 11. I'ield, M.l'., said that a year ago they had como'\to the Minister about the service, but at. that time, the lino had just ;beeri taken.over, and 'tho: Minister 1 was, in a sense/ feeling his: way./' They.; had .hardly; expccted .nuy .immediate, improvements, itho Minister I wanted \tb _ leium' what the.' 'traffic. would .be 'before ' any "alterations -wero made..'; Now -the line.had been held, by the-.Government' for 'mors than a year, ; and \thby,considered that:>tho timo had ; como"wne'n\something .'better, .should' be" dono for the district. . An .argument to bo used against : the' granting of ; an; irii-.; proved. service : was. that, the traffic would not warrant it,' but people would, go. out thore.if :tlie ti'ain semc'o was. con-; veriiont.i- .It .was;, not', a satisfactory proposal .'.that .settlers .shouldi.be called upon' to.. guarantee losses on train-rnnning. There had already, been considerable. improvements, one 1 .of ; whicli was that.the mail trains stopped iit.' more of tlio small stations than previously. ."Three Wants. .■ ■ . ". The. deputation,:. Mr. Piold: added,; brought three requests:. (1) 'I'hat tho peoi plo . on. the- / city ..'- . side '~ of - Paokakariki should; h«vb "ah,':opportunity of .getting into./-' Wellington.; in time. without .'requiring . to; get. up. very early to '.'oatch; their.,.train. "/'The train now: lett at' 0.40- a.m.. and took .two hours to ; travel■27)miles; . (2) ; ;;that:the. 5-20:. p.m. train* running 'at'present: to' Johnsorivillo . sliould bo sent; on' to, paekiikariki; and (3) that: ft suburban service bo established .betweenjWbllingtonjandPlimmerl'on: They, could', not.:..cxpect l'Paekakariki \t6.:',be 1 included at proserit,; but, Pliirimertori . de/serypd /this privilege just' as '.muck'; as did /Upper/ Hiitt.'V 1 MK .'Meld : said .that .for .years' past, be had : .been, urging; the Gov- ! ornment .to sechre land along the Slana.watu-'•: line'-, between Johnsonville arid . Porii'ua, • the iirico' then ' being about .£'B per iacro, but, because the benefit woiild : '.now : go;; toV p.riy'ato.''. individuals, ; he'; did ; riot; think: that/ the'.; Government' , shriiild ; refuse., to' grant aii improved service.. W , Messrs. J. P. I,'uke, M.P., J. G. Ilark- : .ness,Vand:,by.her3, voiced,'tho. needs of .tlio • people. /.-They.; pointed "out /that'-th'c troiri ■leaving Johnsonville at:7.10.a.m.'- shut out : .Tpwa Flit,: wori;nien; froni v - which!.,'place : had to walk .to .Johnsonville-; in order to ; reach ; : Wellington ' in- ; timo/; . Pares for the 'run to 'Paekakariki were ; larger than, for.- that \t6..KaitolceV.though .'the; former :.jras. ; a shorter section, .-.arid-tho . residents asked/for ; a' reduction in the fares. ...-."VTo End the Clamour. 1 n'The.;lliriistel':.l;,mAy,ias';well!say-'riow -' that;; there,; will : s b 0..; no • suburban ■■■ rates over':?ten jmiles—'ahy*yhero.\'.-:;Tlicro. .'lias, : beeri:qrip-'grarit:'of;2P;'m.iles,''" wo: ire going: to; bring down; thb/ suburban' area to. 10 miles, livery centre in tho country is clamouring ifor, .-the . , which .attaches.to - suburban fares, ,-and-: the ires' venue.cannot stand it. , ■ : . '- Member's' of l tho ■' deputation. asked ■ that .warns.- to/and' from :.Wellington -should bo-.'.speeded,up."': .A'-'rcquest 'was -'made fop a train to leavo - Wellingtori: on 'Saturdays: ntv 12.30; p.m.,. in;; addition to that going,;out .atll:2o.'Complaint' was. made •that'isevero concussions :aiul : explosions .'frequently,' terrified ;.°ri ...tho,- suburb'ri; trains,'"-' arid' passengers often had- their heads knocked -together ;ttaragh;;sudden • stbppages.Mi' '-//.;•'; "Some Must Get Up Early" The 'Minister;', in'* 1 reply,' said ' that -some :pe'opl6 :'wpuld:have.'to gbt .'up "early,' and they were, tliosa at the Paekakariki end. The trains couldi.;aos'.';be.'iian.rtb suit' ' everybody, the - morning, train; : 'which' had to stop at every, station, could '.not make../the journey in express time—an ..hour' and; a., half, However, Vit 1 , might; bo' 'possible to '"speed'up". thetrains a little'. .There noti manypassengers. : past : Jbhiisbnville, - and /beyond • that, place': there HvoulA never.\be a' l'argi fij;cd': population: Theroforei- he .would riot. run.;extra: trains ■.■knowing':-that'• there' would::-be■'%>loss;for all-.time.; :■;;;.;./ ■'■ ; /''; Tho Revenue Will bo Guarded. •: If; : - suburban >: services .were| granted . wherever asked,: the effect on tho: revenue /would'' be ~ something /< enormous. .It was all .very .well m a .placo.like'Sydnpy with' its, 500,000 people, but there ' wero only about); 200,000.. people. -in -the':four. Centres of.- : Npiv,;:Zealand...,cZl'hP;.suburbari' rates had '.been "granted- to . Upper, Hutt : originally for tiie -of .- volunteers going;^^<bf;'{i^uctiQiL k ;the ; > ";.,Thi^. > 'iirqidd' just' >hi^Te}'t6'::l(^.^';.fiowe^eri' : 'Mth.ough:.Berer' taunga"'station, had'; paid ; well, bringing: in; .£IOOO ■ per: "year..:. Unless Parliament Agreed itq'lose; half, a .million;- on; the: rqil-; >vay s;;' and; let';' it';' be'- paid. by;. t he: general taxpayers,; ho ..was' not going; to-do; it.; Those; who privileges • should be, called' upon. 5 to: pay.; for . theiri. : Iri' New. Zealand:citieslthere was littlo .'congestionV •and people did ..not . require to go twenty miles: out . to .find - residences., Johnsonville: Tho. extra Sunday, morning train;:.which, cost :35s,< toirhn, ', than ' Bsion any . ono - trip, < but ho, was .prepared, to.;kpep .the:train.: 1 in, tlip tiinei. table/ belieririg-that,;:--later . on, .'it...would more :than';pay; .expenses. ,He would go into the matteri. ascertain the. population : and :iho ; ; numbers: ;likely.: to, travel,;; and see:,what/amendments could bo brought about. '.K;' y:.;;:;;.•.