SUBURBAN TRAINS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 298, 12 September 1919, Page 8

SUBURBAN TRAINS

STRONG COMPLAINTS IN

PARLIAMENT

A NEW POLICY DEMANDED

"I should bo prepared in connection with,the railway finance to lose thousands and thousands. every yeai in order to give tho people the benefit of good suburban services," said Sir Joseph 'Ward in tho House of Representatives Ho considered that rapid suburban railway communication was a matter of tho most pressing importance. Tho Government ought to imurovo the services without, delay as ono means of solving the housing problem.

Mr. W. H. Field (Otalci) also urged the imnqrtanco of suburban traffic. _ Tho } countrv districts around Wellington | ought to be givon improved communicaI lion with tho city, and he considered I that tho suburban area ought to bo extended. Tho Eailway Department had neelected the suburbaa services. It said I in efi'ect that the traffic did not warrant increased suburban services. Tho peoplo reDlied that they would gladly go into the suburban districts to live if assured of reasonable train services. Tho deadlock on this point had continued year after year. Tho Eailway Department was not content with its inaction; it went further by blocking the extension of tho tramways to districts that wero not properly served by the trains. Mr. C. 11. Paolo (Auckland West), Mr. ,T. S. Dickson CParnoll), and tho Hon. A. M. Myers (Auckland East) urged Auckland's claims to improved suburban service. Mr. 'Myers said that tho housing problem made' improved train' services absolutely essential. It had been found profitable in other countries to givo people free railway passes for two years in order to get them established in suburban homes, and so create regular customers for the railways. Mr. R. A. Wright (Wellington Suburbs) Enid that tho suburban services were in a bad wav. Tho position was grave m the extreme in Wellington. People who had moved into the suburban areas were being forced into tho city by. the lack of adequate transport. The policy of tho Haihrov Department, and of all public Departments, seemed to be to follow development instead of leading and promoting it. The Americans ran trams into emutv distriots, and tho peoplo followed. That would happen in New Zoo-land w the Railway Department showed enter"'sir T. M. Wilford (Hutt) asked if the Government did not think that the Hutt electorate deserved special treatment. Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedm had suburban land all around them. .But Wellington -was bounded by water and hills, and the people had to go six or seven miles out to reach tho Hutt Valley where there was 6paco for settlement. Ono lino of railway, with inadequate train services,' was supposed to supply communication between the Hutt Valley and Wellington. Ho had been able to secure special rates on the line. A worker could travel between Petono and Wellington for 2s. a week-2d. a.trip. But the Eailway Department had made no effort at all to provido a good service. Past trains were noeded. The journey from Wellington to Petone by rail should do niado in six minutes. Tho Government had land at Petono, and could build cheap homos for tho peoplo there. Tho sand and shingle were available on tho spot for concrete houses. Ho could not see any reason, other than a political reason why tho Government should .buy land elsewhere when it had hundreds of sections at Petone. ' A ready means offered of solving the housing problem for Wollington. A good suburban servico and a building programme in tho Hutt Valley would provido for the needs of tho people. , , Mt. J. M. Dickson (Chalmers) demanded improved suburban services for his district. Port Chalmers had been put back to the conditions of fifty years ago. It had one train daily to Dunedm, and tho peoplo had to uso.a small ferry boat. Mr. H. 6. Ell (Christchurch South) charged the Eailway. Department with neglecting tho suburban services and displaying an utter, lack of enterprise. Mr. V. H. Eecd (Bay of Islands) said a new policy was needed. A mere change of tinie-table would not suffice, sinco tho people would not,trust tho Railway Department to maintain reasonably good' suburban services, and so would notmovo to suburban districts. Dr. A..K. Newman (Wellington East) said-' that two suburban lines ran out of Wellington. ..Ho asked the Minister to mako tickets interchangeable between Johnsonvillo and Ngahauranga, in order that people might, use, one lino in tho morning and tho other' in the evening, and so avoid climbs. Thoro was no reason why all" tho suburban trains •should not run into Lambton Station. Successive Ministers had obstinately refused this request without cause. All that was needed was a definite instruction from the Minister. The constant refusal of rcasonablo requests had made the people generally dissatisfied with tho Government.

Mr. J. M'Combs pressed for the- electrification of tho Lyttelton Tunnel, dccltirinjr.tliat tlio saving so made in running cost 'would pay 124 per cent, in the cost of conversion.

Mr. A. Walker and Mr. C. B. Statham spoke on'the grievanco of the Squtij Island people o\yin» to tho restriction on train services.