MR. W. H. D. BELL, M.P., MEETS CONSTITUENTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1791, 2 July 1913, Page 8

MR. W. H. D. BELL, M.P., MEETS CONSTITUENTS.

SUBURBAN TRAINS.

WHY HALT THEM AT. THORNDON? A meeting of about ,50 residents of Khandallah last evening was addressed by Mr. W. H. D. Bell, M.P. for Wellington Suburbs. Mr, P.. Iloldsworth, Mayor of Onslow, 'who occupied the chair, stated that th© object of the meeting was to aeo whatcOr-ld -bedono to improve tho train service'on tho Manawatu line. Mr. 8011, fn opening, intimated his intention of SDi'aßiiig, in several portions of his constituency, especially, those, places which aro not close, to tho city.-, He said that.it might be , thought that he hud intentionally stopped away from the rocent meeting hold to consider the train .question. As a matter of fact, he had been in Napier .it the time, and did not hear of the meeting until after it had been.. held. Ho was then told by the committee that it had never been their intention to invite liini to the meeting. There were very many , civil servants in tho district, and it-had therefore been considered test to. havo a private meeting. Ho thought that tho committee were quite right, but hewnentioued ■ the matters in explanation of his absence, which might otherwise: have been misunderstood. Lambton as a Terminus. Mr. Bell then went on to detail the history' of the movement for the running of trains to Lambton, Station, instead of Thorndon. A deputation had waited on Mr. • Myers when he! was . Minister for Railways, but could get no satisfaction. After Sir.' Herries' be'cn'nlo .Minister, coriespon'delice"had .become'more' animated. 'A great objection by the Department had always been that' the 1 , officials'could not devise a schemo for tho running of the trains to Lambtonl . The residents of' the district had always .been anxious to know the reasons for these objections, but they were never given.. Oh the .'advice of the speaker,'the committee 'o-folved 'an, "ama-, teux .scheme," "which -was put before the Department. The tli£h',j'eplied' that his officers thatthe proposals were impracticable. The' speaker then replied td, the Minister,'asking why it was impossible for tho trains to run to Lambton. Tho Department replied that, if-it were to accede to the request of Khandallah residents, traffic at Lambton Station would become unmanageable. The great bulk of the suburban traffic was, between Butt' and Lambton Station, -,and ,'i,t; would 'seriously.'inconvenience the majority of suburban passengers if. the trains were, run. as suggested. Once more ho (Mr. Bell) hadapproached the Minister. He had stated that they were reasonable people, and all that they wanted was to be "convinced." If the proposals were really impracticable, they would be satisfied, but tnoy wished that the impracticability should be proved to them.. ' ; ' ' 'The Fight for Lambton. "My view of the matter is this," con-tinued-Mr. Bell, "we are not. popular jrith- -the Departmental officials.'? A voicc:. But we'pay them. i Mr'.' Bell: That's so. What I think is this: Tou will. remember that when the Government-took over [the lino from theManawatu Company, there was a great outcry about tile line. Tho Railway Department talked a great' deal about figures before,the line, was-taken: over, but the officers do hot seem to court comparison of their administration .with,that of tho company, (specially as a new General Manager 'will shortly be taking' charge of tho service. What we must do is to make the officials stake their reputations as railway experts on the settlement of this question. ' ' Finally, Mr. Bell advised the residents of the district to go on with the petition now in circulation, and also to have it ready for early presentation to. Parliament. It would also to advisable firmly to establish tho , .Suburban , Railways. League. It had been,said that the Government did not like leagues, but they must not consider that. Civil Service Reform.' Referring' to other matters, ■ ■ Mr. ' Bell eaid that one of the questions which in•forested'the residents .of Khandallah most at the time of liis election was Civil Service reform. He had voted in the House for Mr. Herdraan's scheme of reform, and he was pleased to say that since it had gone through tho scheme had worked admirably, and .had caused . much less friction than might have been-expected. At any rate civiljservants could now be satisfied that they could. not bo kept back in the scrvice by political influence, and it was, absolutely, impossible' for dishonest politicians-"and ,they say wo aro all dishonest"' (laughter)—to meddle with the sorvicc. The speaker then explained tho Government's, land legislation, and showed how the increase in the. graduated land tax made for tho breaking up of largo estates." ' Meeting's Resolutions., At the conclusion of Mr. Bell's speech It was decided, 011 the motion of Mr. Alderson: . '"That this ,'meeting strongly re; sents the attitude of the railway authorities in placing obstacles in the way of running trains from. tho -Manawatu district on to Lambton station, and urges that it is imperative that the convenience of the Manawatu suburban traveling public be considered ,by the railway authorities." , ~ Jfr. H. E. Anderson moved, and Mr. S. Stafford seconded: "That this meeting gives its fullest support to 'the Manawatu Suburban Railway League-in its endeavours to induce the Railway Department to rim the trains that now arrive at Thorndon at 7.35 a.m. and 8.45 a.m. on to Lambton station, and • to dispatch the. 5.20 p.m. and. $.20. p.m. trains from Lamb- ; ton Quay atatkHv.instsad of Thorndon. 'i'ho motion was'earned. .