The Feilding Star. SATURDAY, AUGUST 6, 1892. Local Railway Traffic

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 21, 6 August 1892, Page 2

The Feilding Star. SATURDAY, AUGUST 6, 1892. Local Railway Traffic

That the accommodation at the railway station, both as regards the goods, shed and the public platform, 0 is insufficient for the requirements of the district has long been patent to those most interested. We observe with pleasure that the Borough Council is at last moving in the direction of an alteration for the better, and passed a resolution " that in view of the extra quantity of wool and other produce which will come to the Feilding Eailway Station during this season the Kailway Commissioners be asked to enlarge the goods shed as the present accommodation will be totally inadequate." In order that our readers may know the actual work done, and revenue collected during the year at this station, we make the following extracts from the Annual Eeport of Working Eailways up to 31st March 1892 presented to the Parliament now in session. The number of hands employed is three at a cost of £396 2s Id, tickets issued 10670, parcels booked outward 1263, inward 2895; horses outward 69 inward 68, carriages inward 4 outward 12, dogs outward 214 inward 243. Outward cattle 88, sheep 5247, pigs 684, chaff 70 tons, wool 663 tons 16 cwt, firewood 2232 tons, timber 3511 tons, grain 170 tons, merchandise 493 tons, minerals 84 tons, total 7233 tons. Inward 3 drays, 37 cattle ; 1598 sheep; firewood 12 tons, timber 683 tons, grain 543 tons, merchanise 1847 tons; minerals 496 tons, total 3797 tons. The revenue was as follows: passengers £1869 3s, parcels and luggage £151 15s sd, total coaching £2020 18s sd, goods £3102 14s, making a total revenue of £5123 13s od. Deducting the expense of working the station viz. £396 2s Id this leayes the handsome margin of £4727 I Is 4d. These figures speak for themselves, and afford ample justification for the application of the Borough Council. The enormous increase in the number of sheep, and the consequent increase of the wool to be stored hefore it caa be forwarded to Wellington, has already tested the holding capacity of the present shed space, and it is not too much to expect that fifty per cent more will be required during the coming season. Another point is that with the continued additions being made to the population by the influx of new settlers, the quantity of imported merchandise must proportionately increase. The new townships and villages springing up, are nearly all many miles away from the depot therefore merchandise must be stored for a few days even under the most favourable circumstances, and provision should be made to meet that necessity which, of course, does not exist in a town where the inhabitants reside within a more limited radius. As to tho passenger platform we think that if the Commissioners consent to enlarge the shed they might at the same time have the platform covered in to protoct passengers and tho public from the wet weather. In conclusion we can safely say that ovory penny expouded will be repaid by the inureasod revenue.