RAILWAY MATTERS.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 July 1924, Page 4

RAILWAY MATTERS.

CANTERBURY DKT'.’U T COMMITTEE.

CHiHSTCiIV’iCH. July 22

The Canterbury District Railway ('..mmittcc met Yesterday. I’rc-oiil : Messrs 11. Holland (chairman i. C. *l. li. Williams. W. Siringlemaii. 11. ( hauman and I*. li. ('limit* (secretary). “INCREASED PI!t)D UCTIV EN ESS.''’ The chairman read the annual report of the Grcyinouth Harbour Board, lie said that the e.ommiitee should forward its congratulations to the board Localise this year’s revenue exceeded Ills.* previous year’s by C let);). That showed productiveness on the West Coast had been iiiere-sed and it was satisfactory to find it to he so. It was decided tii follow the chairman's suggestions and forward congratuhitioiis to the hoard. RETURNS REQUIRED. The secretary (Mr P. li. Cliinie) raid that he had made an effort to get let unis from Christchurch and Greymouth ns to the amount of trnliie that had gone on the .Midland line, lie had been told that it was necessary to obtain the Minister's permission before the figures conhl he supplied, hut so far the Minister had not replied to his application for permission. He thought that a return after twelve months' working would he of value. The rum-1 mittee did not want it for any ulterior motive, because its only desire was io increase traffic on the Midland line.

il was decided to :ip])ly again lu I lit* .Minister lor tin- figures, as they were needed in t!u> public interest. lIOKITIKA-tiI{EYAI! >IT! I I.fXK. Air Cl *in io reported tbn L a sub-tiiin-mittee set up to consider .'literalions to the (’liristelinrrli-flnkitikn seliodtile, had recommended that the Saturday train he a passenger train only, in order to obviate delays through shunting. Air Chaimiaw said that about 200 passengers travelled on the train, and only id. mt fifteen of that ntnnher were through passengers. If all the wayside pas.segeis were cut out it would mean iiieonveiiieneiiig iihnut 'dll') persons for the sake of fifteen. The amount of shunting complained of had heeu exaggerated. Oeeasionallv there was a stock truck to lie shunted off. hut tin could not have stock held up in tic yards. It was impracticable to make til-' train non-stop.

Air !striiigler.ini! said that he would like to see the alleratiiin made npplieab’e to every day. The present stop at (dreymouth was un'Satisfaetory to Hokitika people. Air Ciimie said that all they asked was that an experiment should he made.

Air AVilliams said tint, they should not do anything without obtaining the opinion of the principal users of the train.

On the motion of Air Ciimie it was de ided that an endeavour he made to ascertain the feeling of the people ennoornod. MONDAY Tit At X. The Oreymomb Chamber of Corninert e asked for endorsement of a resolution to the effect that the Department he asked to liegin running an express train from Christchurch to Oreytnou t h and t: rev mouth to Christelutreh on Alundays. The present interval between Saturday and Tuesday without any service was considered too long. Air Chapman said that the* traffic on the line at present was very light, the i>a=sengers averaging onlv about 100 a I day. ' ‘ j It was agreed to reply to the chain-I her that the present traffic did not war-1 rant nnv increase in the .service.- i