JOTTINGS FROM WANGANUI

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 840, 11 June 1910, Page 10

JOTTINGS FROM WANGANUI

VISIT OF THE MINISTER FOR ' RAILWAYS. (By Toloer&ph.—Bpcclal .Correspondent.) f Wanganui, Juno 10. At a meeting of 'workers hold here last night, it was decided to call a public meeting for Monday next to con-, aider steps for the circulation of a petition for some remission of the sentence of 121 years recently passed at PaJmenston 011 l'owelka. The Maj'or has consented to preside. _ . . As 1 showing tho continuance of tho improvement in tho bar channel, the barquentinc Alexa, which arrived from Newcastle a day or two ago. crossed inwards on'neap tide on a I.oft, 6in. draught. This is the first time a vessel drawing so much water lias entered the port at Jieaps. Tho-soundings taken by tho vessel gave the least depth a-t "lL'ft., equal to lolt. at high water springs. A spell of rough and boisterous southerly weather, with heavy seas along the coast, is now being experienced here. ■ ■

The Minister for Railways, who arrived hero to-day from the north, accompanied by Mr. llqnaync, General Manager for Railways, was occupied all the afternoon receiving deputations. To the Harbour Board deputation ho said tho Government had no objection to the recent accretions of the beach at Casrtlecliff caused by the harbour works being vested in the boaTd. Tho laud in question consists of severalacres caused by the pushing of tho high water mark several hundred yards further out by sand "making up" behind tho moles at the river entranee.ln reference to complaints of the difficulty of shipping stock at the eattlo wharf owing to tho approach thereto being occupied by part of the railway yard, lie promised to have alterations made which would give better facilities to shippers.' In company with the Borough Council tho Minister inspected the sites of various pieces of kind the ownership of which is a matter of dispute between the council and the Railway Department, and promised, if the Department was found to be in the wrong, that tho land should he handed back to the council. He also promised to have a report furnished on the council's proposal to lower the level of tho railway crossing at Guyton Street and tho building of an overhead bridge across the line at that point. To a deputation of tho Chamber ot Commerce, the Minister promised to endeavour to effect an alteration iu tho railway time-table to give better connection at Marton with the Main Trunk express from Wellington to Auckland, and to see if it would bo possible to run an extra train to and from Marton to connect with the south-bound express. Ho also promised to give a trial to the railway parcel delivery system here, and to have special cars for "Wa.nganui attached to tho express trains between "Wellington and New Plymouth to enable passengers for this town to avoid changing at Aramoho.. The same deputation also brought up the mattoT of long-distance railway freights, and asked for their revision, it being pointed out that on many lines, coal espccialyl, tho trado of Wa.nga.mii and many of the small towns of the Dominion was seriously handicapped owing to the operation of the rates. A long discussion on this matter took place between the deputation and tho Minister, the latter saying lie could not see his way to revise tho rates, and if AVa.nga.nui or any other place suffered by them it wa's rcilly because of the natural disadvantages which their geographical positiniiis imposed upon In™. A denotation of waterside workers wlio pointed out that the Government paid n less rate for handling coal on the Wnnganui "Wharf than that paid by private employers, was told that Ihe matter would he remedied and the Government would pay tho same wago a.s the Arbitration award compelled private employers to pay.