The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, February 18, 1909. A HASTY DECISION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 450, 18 February 1909, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, February 18, 1909. A HASTY DECISION.

At Palmerston on Tuesday a deputation waited upon the Minister for Railways, and the Mayor of Palmerston brought iorward the question of having the timetable for trains leaving Palmerston for Foxton on Saturdays at noon altered so as to permit working men to get down to the Heads for the week end. He staled that if it could be arraged for the train to leave Palmerston at 12.30 or 1 p.ra,, it would permit working men to take their families to the seaside and return on Monday morning by the early train. Mr Ronayne and Mr Armstrong considered that the matter could be arranged, and the Hon. Millar staled that the request would be granted. In reply to a question from Mr Nash as to when it would come into operation, Mr Ronayne replied that they would be able to commence on Saturday next, when the train would leave Palmerston for Foxton at 1 p.m., instead of 12 noon. This sounds very nice from the Palmerston working men’s point of view. We should like to ask Mayor Nash how many of Palmerston’s working men and their families contemplate spending their week-ends at the Beach ? It appears a most remarkable proceeding on the part of the Minister to accede to such a request without in any way consulting the interests of Foxton. Our postal facilities are to be delayed, and business people and ordinary passenger traffic cast aside for an hour in order to cater for, at the most, about a half-a-dozen passengers who for a few mouths in the year spend the week ends at the Beach, and who are not “ working men ” .at all in the ordinary acceptation of the term. What marvellous tale Mayor Nash unfolded to the Minister to induce him to give assent to such a ridiculous request is beyond* our ken. The local Borough Council and Chamber of Commerce should emphatically protest against this kind of thing. In the past the public have been greatly iucon-

venieucecl by the stupid 7 a.ra. Monday train —to suit whose convenience ? The local time-table wants amending, and we hope the local authority will bestir itself in this particular. It should be made clear to the department that the railway is not run to the port for Palmerston’s sole benefit.