SUBURBAN NEEDS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 23, 22 October 1919, Page 8

SUBURBAN NEEDS

BETTER RAILWAY FACILITIES

THE MANAWATU-LINE

Suburban railway needs were Nrepresented to tho Minister of Railways (.Mr. Massey) by a deputation from tho Unalow ifrog'rossivo Association yusterdaj. Mr. K. A. Wright, M.P., introduced the deputation, and it was supported by Mr. W If Field, M.P. The General Manager of Railways (Mr. R. W. M'Villy) was in attendance. Mr. 11. Lynneberg, president of tho association, was the first speaker, lie said that his first point had to do with the safety of children. At Ngaio there were 220 children attending the school, and ot these 170 had to' cross the railway to go to school, 110 urged that in the .interests of the safety of these children a subway should be mado under tho railway at N lr aio. The position at Khandallaii was perhaps not quite so bad, but a sub.way there 'was also necessary. He askcU on behalf of the deputation for a late train out of town at 9.30 p.m. to suit the convenience of students attending \ ictoria College and other evening educational classes. It was also urged that the present 10.20 ii.in. train should be delayed until 10.30 p.m. for the convenience of residents of Onslow going to the city to .'attend places of amusement. An early train out from the city was also desired. At present the first tram out from the city left Thorndon at 8.20 a.m., and by this train workmen could not roach their work until 9 a.m. Thero was a goods train leaving the city at i o'clock, and it was suggested that one carriage might bo attached to this tram for the convenience of such passengers. Another request was that the 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. petrol trains should be reinstated. Ono of the requasts urged most strongly was that tho week-end concession tickets to Paekakariki should be given again. Before the war the tickets were given for 2s. 3d., but when tho war came the fare was increased to 2s. 9d. Against this increase tho deputation had nothing to say, but the rate charged in recent times was ss. Bd., which was prohibitive. At this price people could not afford to keep seasido establishments at Paekakariki, and there were houses ill the place standing empty. Generally it was suggested that the station of Paekakariki should be made the terminus of tho suburban services, instead of Plimmerton, as at present. He pointed out that in any case the engines had to go to Paekakariki to "roost," because this was the nearest station at which there were engine sheds. The practice at present was to take the trains empty from Plinrneiton to Paekakariki.

These demands were supported by other speakers. One other point raised was as to the desirability of restoring Sunday trains to the railway suburbs. It was also urged with some force* that the provision of good communications with the suburbs would afford the easiest and surest solution of tho housing problem in the city.

Mr. W. 11. Field pressed for the question raised about Paekakariki being made the terminus of the suburban services. One of tlie grievances cherished for a long time by the people on the Manawatu line was that regarding the detraining of all passengers at Thorndon station. He had for long thought that the Railway Department might bave arranged to take them to Lambton, station, bat difficulties had always been raised. If the new railway station was soon to be built they would be prepared to wait for it, but if the enterprise was to be long delayed, tlioy would continue to press their .claim. He would, also ask the Department to consider the question of running a train from Otaki in the mornings..

J[r, Field raised also the question of the new road and railway to Paekakariki. It was accepted' that the host route for the new road would be by way of the present railway, and that the new'route for the railway should be by way of the sea coast. Until the railway was made there would be no opportunity of commencing work on the road, and for this reason he asked that a commencement should ho made at once with the railway deviation.

Mr. Massey, in reply, said it was quite evident that the members of the deputation had made ,a study of suburban services. Referring to the question of the construction of the subways, he said that, these had proved to. be very expensive and very costly to maintain." The usual practice was for the Department- to require the local body—in this case the Wellington City Council—to pay part of llio cost. The questions raised were certainly worthy of consideration. The original estimate, he understood, was ,£7!io for the cost of « subway at Ngaio, but the cost would now amount to much more than this sum. Most of the requests for trains had b°en retmests not for new trains, but for the reinstatement of trains that had formerly been given to the districts. The suburban timetables wore being revised, and he hoped that when the new time-tables were completed it would be possible not only to restore all,- the nre-war services but to improve fhem. They would be operating {ibout December 1. He quite agreed with the deputation that one of the remedies for the present difficulty in regard to housing' was better communication into the suburbs. It was net possible to do everything at. once. The services had been deranged during the war, and since then there hod been the eoal-saving "cut,"; and the task of petting back to normal running wa« one that eou.ld not be done in a day. He did not think that the people would have any reason to complain when the new time-table's were in operation. He qir.te Fvninatln'=ed with the renurst made rpgari.ling Thonidon station. Indeed he had often men-piled at. the patience of the people of Wo'lington in enduring th° incntiveriie"op of the two stations in this'place. He honed that ere long-the new railway station would I*> nut in hand.

Mr. TneM: X°*t year? « Mr. M'Villy: We are goir.g to make a push for it.

Mr. Mnssey said regarding week-end fares, that something towards restoration of them wmi'd be done at once, but it might be th»t the rntw? would be rnnro ilnri they lnd I>ppii befom the war. Tliev would certainly K> ]p'q* than the nrcscnt rate of s u . Brl. Tip linrl not yet had an onnoi'tunifv of di'ci'win" the matter of Sunday trains with-the Deiwlment, but he indicated that there mislit Iv. difficulties about the restoration of these trains. Generally h» said that it wn« I'm nolif-v of Ihe Penarfn'nnt t« meet, the requirements of Hm nubli". whowp r p the owners of the ra. : 'way°. TTp realised thnt the "ervines wh'ch suCpp'l vea"'; ago might not suffice to-day. and the railways ought to move with the times.