RETONE REQUESTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1497, 20 July 1912, Page 6

RETONE REQUESTS.

BETTER TRAIN FACILITIES WANTED.

"A MATTER OF FINANCE." Improvements at the Potono Railway Station and in tlio running of suburban and other trains were asked for by a deputation Wihieh was introduced ytsterdnv to the Hon. AV. 11. Iterries(.Minister lor Railways)-by Mr. T. M. AYilford, M.r. Tho deputation was a representative one, and included in its membership, tho Mayor rf Potono (Mr. J. W. M'Ewnn), the chairman of the. Hutt County Council (Mr. J. AVakekam), and various councillors and local residents. Mr. AVilford said that the deputation desired that tho two shilling weekly workers' tickets should bo mndo availaWe for uso on tho train leaving Petone at 8.15 a.m. Many of tho people using it received a. great deal ]esj in wages ttwn tViose who used oariier trains. 'I'ho deputation desvted Y\\rt\wc that y>as=<a\gers should be allowed at least two minutes in which, to entrain at Petone, and that trains should be inado up with first and seconti-class carriages nlirays in the samo relative positions, so that people might not have to Tun about looking for a second-class carriage. The, deputation wished to protest against tho constant changes that were made in tho tiin«-biblc. Tho •TTairarapa (rain from Wellington' should stop at Petone. Special trains on race days seriously disorganised tho ordinary traflic. It would bo ft great comlmienco to" Kvitt nml Petone residents if the Sunday morning train to town left soon enough to connect with the train leaving Thorndon for Otaki. There was no train to town on Sunday afternoon between 2.21 p.m. and 5.34 p.m., and they asked that tho train, leaving Wellington for Petouc at 8.35 p.m. on. Sundays should be delayed until 9.25 p.m. A train should bb put on to leave Wellington for Petono shortly after noon, so that people living in tho country could be taken to their homes immediately after ceasing work. Better facilities for the sale ot tickets were required at Petone to obviate- tho rush that occurred on Monday mornings and on holidays. Another selling box. at Petono would meet the case. The overhead bridge at the Petone stxition should be extended to the Koro Koro Road. Mr. McEwan said that the deputation represented not only tho Petone Borough Council, but also a special meeting which had been held at Petono to discuss tho disabilities suffered by railway users. Mr. M'Ewen supported the requests advanced by Mr. AA'ilford and also urged the Minister to consider tho advisability of reducing the fare between AVcllington and Petone to sixpence on Saturdays only. In support of his proposal Mr. M'Ewan stated that the Hutt Park would henceforth be very extensively used for sports purposes and said .that in his'.,opinion the Department would suffer no loss by making tho concession.' ... Mr. Jones said that the extension of. tho oycrbridge would be of great use riot only to Koro-'Koro settlers, but to hundreds of others. New sidings weTe badly needed at Petono Station, and if provided would do away with the necessity for hauling goods up a heavy grade as was done nt present with great hardship to the horses employed. Other members of the deputation also supported tho requests advanced. Tho Minister said that the policy of the Government would be, as far as possible, to encourage suburban traffic with a ,view to getting people to live in the country instead of congregating in the towns. In iegard to the various matters 'advanced he had to be guided, to. an extent, by his officers. . There were two sides to every question, and it was .ouly fair that he ■should hear both. - Some of the requests seemed to'him at first blush to be matters that could ho remedied at once, for instance, the method of making up the trains. Not only on this line, but on tho other line-s of tho Dominion he considered that there should be uniformity in making up the trains. The proposals about workers' tickets and the overhead bridge w.ere matters of finance. His hearers could'' seo that, tills whole question of railway policy hinged on finance The- Department was asked for concessions on every hand, but, unlike other concerns, it could not ''pass it on" to someono else. It could iiot raise the rates, and yet the railways were expected to earn a decent rate of interest. Finally, •Mr Herries promised that if tho grievances complained of could b3 remedied lie would endeavour to do so.