RAIL SERVICES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1433, 7 May 1912, Page 6

RAIL SERVICES.

MINISTER BESIEGED. BIG DAY OF DEPUTATIONS. ' EUTT 'AND ELSEWHERE. A series of deputations. asking for improved train services for their various localities waited upon tho Minister for Railways (Hon. A. M. Myers) 'yesterday.' The ;.Hutt Valloy, the suburbs on the Maniiwatu lino, tho Wairarapa -and the Feilding districts were all in turn represented. ' was a large deputation of residents~of tho Hutt Valley beyond Lower Hutt: \ Their spokesman was Mr. G. Laing-Meason, who said that the chief object of the deputation was to obtain a fast -train, from Upper Hutt to Wellington each'morning and one to Teturn in tho evening. The'present trains leaving Upper Hutt at 7.2.1 and Wellington .it 5.12 p.m..took.more than an hour to do ei'her Journey,; and tho suggestion was that they should be speeded up to 50 minutes. The ikey to .the position was the track fiom Wellington' to Petone.. This.was'supposed to b6;! n 50-mile an hour track, .yet the fastest train did it at. 23 .miles an hoilr.' It might bo well to detach the milk traffic 'from'.the morning train. . Other requests, which had been put in ■writing, ..were briefly touched upon by Mr. Laing-Meason. . Tho requests relating to trains froiiv Upper 'Hutt to Lambtnn were';as.'follow':—That tho arrival of the 8.30 aim. train from Upper Hutt before '?.35 sli'oiild bo absolutely assured, as it only allows ten minutes in which to catch the train for I-'almerston aiid New Plymouth at Thorndon. ..That a passenger car-bo attached to tho freight train leaving , tl\fl Upper Hutt between 9 and 10 n.in;, and so timed as to connect w:ih the train leaving Lower Hutt for Lambton at 10.15 a.m. That a train to leave Upper Hutt between- 9 aud 10 p.in; and conn.-, t ; Svith a train leaving Lower Hutt for Latnbton be put on every night or on, Bay, three nights per week. That the evening mail train stopping at Silverstream should pick up as. well as set down passengers.

In regard to (ho (rains from LambtOn to-the Hutt Valley it was <lesircd: That 'the waysido goods-traffic be cut oif from tho'motor service. The Addition of goods traffic and shunting seriously delays the motor trains. That the G. 17 "juii. train from Lambton be continued to Upper Hutt, so as to enable people leaving business at 0 p.m. to reside beyond Lower Hutt. That the 0.'.'0 from Lambton at night do not run through to Upper Hutt, bnt that tho 10.35, which now stops at IXiwer Hutt, bo continued on to Upper Hutt. That tho 3.20 p.m. goods train from Lower Hutt to Upper Hutt bo scheduled in tho time-table as running between those two points doily ; except Saturdays, for- the school children, and generally that all train" carrying passengers between Lower Hutt and' Uppor Hutt, and vice versa, be speeded up, as it is essential that tho service bo improved in order to encourage settlement and relieve pongestion in the city.

'Improvements in the Sunday service .were also desired, so as to'enable residents beyond Lower Hutt to reach town to meet friends arriving by steamer, to attend morning service in town, or take their families to Lyall Bay or Day's Bay for the day. They would like to be able to.Tgo in by the 12.35 and visit their friends in hospital, visit the museum and parks, hear bands, and attend afternoon services' or lectures, or to go in by the evening train and attend services or lectures, or visit friends, and'get homo tho tame night,'instead of having, to stay in town Saturday or Sunday nighty It was risked that in working the service from Tipper Hntt 'tho train start at 8.53 and take up the running from Lower Hutt i>f tho present 0.28 train from that station, continuing through the day, the running of ,the service. .at present performed by the Lower Hutt engine; that tho present 4.57 from Upper Hutt leave nt 5.27 p.m. and run half an hour later throughout, arriving at Lombton at G. 38 p.m., ill ample time for church services at 7 o'clock; that, instead of the train service stopping at Lower Hutt at 9.6 p.m., it be continued on to Upper Hutt, terminating there 35 minutes later, at 9.41 p.m. . , The deputation also deprecated the increase in the price of season tickets, and Tominded tho Minister of the promise of bis predecessor to have foot-warmers provided for the early morning trains in .winter nionths. Tho Minister said he would give every consideration to tho matters brought before him.He. intended, as they knew, to mako 'suburban train services a special feature" of his administration. He fully ■Tealiscd the attractions of tlio Hutt Valley and its salubrious climate, and thought .people should be encouraged to live out..there.' The speeding-up of tho trains was a very important", nuestion, and ho had already instructed his officers to jro carefully into if. Ho thought they would be .able to do something in tho matter. He thanked tho deputation for their bn'siness-like • method of putting their requests into w.ritiii!:, and ho promised to go-into tho whole question immediately, and niako a public statement Xrithin a day or two;.: PORIRUA DISTRICT. 'TRAINS FOB WORKERS WANTED. Mr. W. H. D. Bell, M.P., introduced B deputation of residents of Porirua and Tawa Flat, who wished for several improvements in the train services between those places and the city. They asked for (t) a workers' train to Wellington In the morning, say, one to connect with the 7.10 from Johnsonville; (2) that tho 5.20 train from Wellington should bs retained, at least as far as Porirua; that the 6.20 p.m. from town should run on Saturdays, as well as other days, or some other train between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. The early morning train would be niado Feasible, if. the last train to Johnsonvillo nt night ran on to Poj'irua and stayer! there for'the'night.. If- this necessitated flic erection of an' eng-inu-shed at Porirua. the Porirua and Tawa Flat Railway League would guarantee the interest on the cost until the Department was prepi»™>d in take it over. Mr. Mungavin, chairman of tlio Railway League, pointed out that the lack of nn earlier train to town made it impossiblo for the. sons of residents to be apprenticed to trades in town and go to and from their work every day. _ They also objected to having tn wait in town till II "'clock on a Saturday ni<rht.

Mr. James spoke on behalf of the residents of Tawa Flat. Tho district, he raid, had been kept back by the want of an early train to town, as .few people were prepared to go to .Tohnsouville to catch the 7.10 a.m.; Those who went by bicycle or horse to take the train at .Tohnsonville usua'ly left the train there on returning, and thus the Department lost a number of fares. The 5.20 from town, and an early train (o town were of vital importance k> Tnwri Flat. They would be glad if the' Napier mail could stop at Tawa Flat on Saturday niffhts, to enable people to go info town. The lack of. an early train had compiled one family rtive memliers nf which would have used it) to leave the district, nod had pr"vcn'' , d manv from settling there. The Minister said I'.e appreciated the point of view of tho denotation. The people of "Wellington suburb? were not exceptional in their desire for more convenient train servicers. TTe agreed with the deputation as io the desirableness nf offering every inducement to people to live in tho suburbs, cspeciallv at Wellington. where the area of land that people could live on and have reasenablo accommodation was so limited. The provision of trains to suit workers was especially important, and would receive his consideration. TTe intended, so far ns was conpistent with prudence, to make suburban services a speciality of his administration. Ho desired to havo trains, not only to accommodate those already living in the puburbs, but also to Induce otherm to live there. It ha/1 ben decided to put on a train leaving Pnekakariki at 5.50 a.m., storming at Poriruii at fi.3G. and reaching Wellington at 7.35, at intermediate stations. On Saturdays this train would P.iekakariki at i.ii a.m.. and reach town at G. 22 a.m.. stopping at Plimtrer'ori. J'ateraata. Porirua, and Johnsonof th« deputation.: Net Tawa Flat? , Mr. T. Ronayiie, General Manager of .Jta* intimated

that theTo would bo no difficulty in stoppin? tho train at Tawa Flat. Tlio Minister said tho train would stop at Tawa Flat. Ho added that he wished to cousider all the requests made by different deputations en bloc, and he hoped that within a day or two he would bo able to make a schcmo public. ' 110 thought they would lind that there would be no further need for suburban railway leagues. (Laughter and applause.) It was subsequently announced that tho Department, had arranged to make tho following alterations, which aro in effect additional services:— The train which leaves Wellington nt 12.35 p.m. on Saturdays and runs to Johnsonville- only, will in future go through to Paekakariki, leaving 'Wellington at 12.35 and arriving at Paekakariki at 2.15 p.m., stopping wliew> required to pick up and set down passengers. '' The fi.25 i>.in. train, which runs."to Johnsonvillo onlv on Saturdays, will be continued to Paekakariki, at which station it will arrive at 8.15 p.m. A train will leave Paokakflriki at 5.50 a.m., arriving at Wellington at 7.;15 a.m. daily. On Saturdays only a train will leave Paekakariki at*'l.4s p.m., arriving Wellington G. 22 p.m. Tho train which now leaves Wellington for Paokakariki at 5.20 p.m. except on Saturdays will continue to run as at present. These alterations will come into effect on June I. THE WAIRARAPA SERVICE. . TOO SLOW. In- the afternoon a deputation representing the Wairarapa interests and tho Wellington Chamber of Commerce was received by/ the Minister. The deputation consisted of: Messrs. J. 11. Coradine (.Mayor of Masterton), A. E. Mabin (president Wellington Chamber of Commerce), C. E. Daniell (Wairarapa representative on the Wellington Harbour Hoard), 11. Morrison (chairman Wairarapa A. and P. Association), aud A. Henderson (president Masterton Chamber of Commerce), i The Minister, in his reply, said ho recognised that the city and tho country were interdependent. The deputation had introduced sotno new matter, and he would refrain from making any statement in that connection until he had had an opportunity of going carefully into the questions involved in consultation with his principal officers. It was essential to have a defined railway policy, having regard to tile requirements of tlie peoplo and also to the business control of tlie railways. Speaking broadly his policy would be to givo every facility to those who were carrying on commercial and agricultural pursuits. A monopoly had its Tesponsiuilitios to the people, and the Department desired to place no obstacles ill tho way of those who wanted to send their produce to market. Ho was surprised to hear of the time taken to send goods from Masterton to Wellington and rice versa. The stops at the stations should be shortened,, and steps would bo taken to have that done. He regretted to hear it said that the Wairarapa train service was better twenty years ago than to-day. His policy would be one of progression not retrogression. He would go into tho question of the removal of the refreshment room from Kaitoko to the Summit. He would be pleased to give instructions to have the name of Purakau Station changed to Solway. He realised the obligation ofthe Department to give every facility for tho extra traffic on show days. FEILDING'S RAILWAY WANTS, EARLY TRAIN TO CITY. Mr. John Cobbe and Mr. F. Pirani, representing the -Feilding Chamber (3f Commerce, wore introduced to tne Minister by 3lr. D. 11. Guthrie, M.P. Mr. Pirani asked that the trains leaving I'almerston at 7 a.m. and 4.50 p.m. should be speeded up. He submitted figures to show that these trains travelled at a slower pace than similar trains in the South Island. The speeding up would result in relieving traffic on the Main Trunk express. They also asked that tho regular stoppings of the trains should not be cut out on holidays, as they sometimes .were,. when extra trains were run. They submitted also that when the second iVuckland express was run it should stop at Feilding, aud that the expresses from New Plymouth should stop at Bunnytliorpo as they formerly did. Mr. Cobbe asked that tho train which starts from Palmerston at 7 a.m., reaching the city about midday, should start from Feilding. A shunting- service should be placed at Feilding, as it was now the southern terminus of the Wanganui section for goods traffic, mid an engine-shed at Feilding would therefore be necessary, so that the engine required for the proposed early morning train could bo housed there. A horse had been stationed there,'but had since been removed. The extension of the station platform by about three chains was desired for the convenience of passengers, especially on tho arrival of tho Main Trunk express from Auckland. Mr. Guthrie, in supporting tho requests of the deputation, strongly emphasised the need for a longer station platform. The present conditions were almost certain to lead to accidents. The desired stoppnjo at Bunnythorpe was of very ,great importance to the district, and it was highly desirable for Feilding' residents to be able to travel to Wellington and back by rail in one day. He paid a tribute to the energy and willingness of the goods staff at Feilding station, but said that under present circumstances they were quite unable to give the assistance which they would otherwise do. His correspondence on this matter had been misunderstood. He asked that the Department's refusal to make a section of land at Feilding available for technical school purposes by transfer of an existing lease should be reconsidered. The Minister said ho would ask the Departmental officers to givo him full particulars as to what could be done, and lie would then advise the deputation. The time-table would be reviewed to 6eo how far they could meet the various representations that had been mado to him. 110 recognised that Feilding was an important centre and worthy of every consideration. The horse for shunting would again he stationed nt Feilding. The appointment of separato traffic inspectors for the two islands had already been announced, and he thought the enormous growth of the traffic of the North Island justified this stop. He would keep in touch with the users of tho railways, and ho hoped to bo ablo sometimes to anticipate demands by making provision for prospective traffic.