MANAWATU RAILWAY.

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 524, 22 September 1902, Page 2

MANAWATU RAILWAY.

STATE V. PRIVATE MANAGEMENT By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, last night. A deputation waited on Sir Josoph Ward yesterday to complain about the inefficiency of the Buburbun traffic on tho Manawatu railway. Sir Josoph Ward promised to try and induco the company to improve the service, but pointed out that he could not compoi it to run more trains, as tho company had an undoubted right to manage its own business in the interest of tho shareholders. His experience of Government lines led him to believe that tho company would bo doing a proper thing to provide proper suburban service. If tho Government had tho line it would immediately provide tho service asked for. Sir Josepn Ward went on to say that he had been strongly in favor of Government having the running rights over the Manawatu hue, so as to run through to New Plymouth. He had been urging that for some time, and hoped they could arrivo at an agreement to bring it about. If it was arranged it would give an increased service to New Plymouth, and certainly to Palmerston. Tnat, however, would be quite irrespective of any separate suburban service, such as was now being urged. Ho was tiymg to arrange an agreement that would make the service on the line a vory much better one than it was now. Ho hoped the company would see it was to its advantage to come to a fair agreement.