THE WELLINGTON AND MASTERTON RAILWAY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5029, 7 May 1877, Page 3

THE WELLINGTON AND MASTERTON RAILWAY.

A deputation, consisting of the Hon. Sir William Eitzherber t and Messrs. J. Lawrence, J. Brown, Morgan, Cruickshank, Cotter, and Mackay, from the Hutt District, waited upon tho Hon. the Minister for Public Works on Saturday, at II o’clock. Mr. Mackay introduced the deputation by reading the following memorial, passed at a meeting held at the Upper Hutt : “ We, the undersigned inhabitants of tho Upper Hutt and the adjoining districts, having learned that it is proposed to alter the timetable of the trains running from Wellington to the Upper Hutt, beg most respectfully to point out —

“ 1. That the proposed alterations re the railway time-tables will be productive of very nreat inconvenience and loss to the inhabitants of the Upper Hutt, and the districts lying between the Lower and the Upper Hutt stations, and beyond the Upper Hutt, by lessening the facilities for traffic, and by discouraging persons desiring to visit the country. “ 2. That the said alterations will cause groat annoyance and inconvenience to persons travelling by coach over the Rimutaka, and thence through the Wairarapa to all parts of the provincial districts of Wellington and Hawke’s Bay. “ 3. That in con sequence of the last train being appointed to leave the Upper Hutt at twenty minutes to three p.m., the passengers by the aforesaid coaches will in most cases be compelled to complete their journey by the road instead of coming into Wellington, as at present, by train, “ 4. That, as a further consequence of the early time fixed for the departure of such train, it will not be possible for persons engaged in business at the Upper Hutt to visit Wellington after the day’s business is over, and to return by train in time for business the following morning, as they at present can do. “ 5. That if only one train is run to the Upper Hutt upon Sundays, it will not be passible for persons at the Upper Hutt to visit Wellington, and for persons at Wellington to visit the Upper Hutt, returning the same day, as they at present can do. “ Therefore we trust that you will cause a revision of the proposed time-tables to be made, and that any new time-table will be so arranged as to give tho inhabitants of the Upper Hutt and the districts aforesaid at least as great advantages as they now enjoy.” [Here follow tho signatures.] As a matter of fact the memorial contains the gist of what is set forth by the members of tho deputation in the speeches they made respecting the charges on tho railway and the time-table affecting the passage of tho trains on tho same. In answer to Mr. Ormond, Mr. Mackay stated that it was the wish of the people of the Hutt and those of the Wairarapa ; the present time-table was perfectly satisfactory. Mr. Objioku remarked that the only rule in which the Government deemed it necessary to make any change was the number of trains to the Lower Hutt, which was admittedly insufficient. With regard to the Upper Hutt, ho had been at some pains to ascertain tho amount of passenger traffic to and from there, and had found the usual numbers to bo these : By the down train, 7.30 a.m., 20 passengers; 11.30 a-m., 10 ; 3,20 p.m., 7 ; 5 p.m., 8. By tho up trains—B. a.m., 15 passengers; 11.25 a.m., 7 ; 3.15 p.m., 20 ; 1.55 p.m,, 10. He pointed out that those numbers were very small, and concluded therefrom that fewer trains beyond tho Lower Hutt might suffice. It was pointed out by tho deputation, with respect to tho trains from the Upper Hutt, that if the last were made to start at 2.40 passengers by the coach would be unable to catch it, the 4.55 p.m. train being used by visitors to town who missed tho 3.15 train. It was also pointed out that not only was the traffic to Wellington diverted from the railway, but the drays which brought in timber and

produce loaded in Wellington, and went back with stores which ought to be carried on the railway. , , , ~ Mr. Ormond, with regard to the latter question, remarked that it would probably right itself when tho railway was opened to the next station, Kaitoki, The question how to make tho traffic pay on short lines was one of considerable difficulty. Mr. Morgan remarked that tho present time-table gave perfect satisfaction, and hoped the Government would not alter it. Mr. Ormond assured the deputation that the Government wore very desirous of considering the interests of settlers, but it was their duty to see that tho traffic should pay. His own impression was that three trains daily would be found sufficient to tho Upper Hutt. He reminded the deputation that tho proposed alterations had never been approved of by tho Government.

Sir Wm. Fitzherbert suggested that it was worthy tho consideration of the Government how far the traffic on the railway could be permanently secured by making the scale of charges such as to prevent private c> mpetltion, and induce people to look to the railway as the great means of travelling and carrying goods, which would result in tho road traffic being diverted to the railway. He pointed out his meaning to be that the Government should not come to a conclusion by calculations for a short period, but having at present a monopoly of the railway, they should endeavor to obtain also a monopoly of the traffic, by offering terms which would render opposition unprofitable. It was worthy of consideration, too, that much of the produce was lowpriced, and specially suitable for carriage by rail, such as piles, posts and rails, firewood. &c., of which there was an unlimited supply, and the result of offering cheap conveyance for the same would be to benefit tho settlers ns well as the consumers iu Wellington.

Mr. Ormond said the question raised by Sir William was large, applying as it did to the whole of the railway traffic in the colony. The General Government had just had to take over the railways in the South Island, and they were considering the advisability of having equal rates all over the colony. _lf that result were arrived at—and the question would naturally be discussed very narrowly by Parliament—then no question would arise as to particular districts. He was of opinion that the public should be given every facility for traffic on the railways; at the same time they must keep within reasonable limits. From the inquiries he had made as to the charges on the railways in the North, he ascertained that in comparison with other colonies they were very low. Melbourne was in some instances lower; but we were generally lower than Victoria. The rates in the North Island, however, were lower than those of the railways in all the other colonies, except in regard t® the firstclass carriages on some of them. The question was a large and important one, as lie had said before, one to which he had devoted much attention and thought, and he hoped soon that some definite conclusion would be arrived at. With regard to this particular case, he was glad his attention had been called to the matter, and he assured the deputation that ho would give it his most careful consideration. Several members of the deputation complained of the charges being too high, and Mr. Cotter, from the Silver Stream, said the Sunday trains were inconvenient for persons desiring to attend Divine worship. Others pointed out that for timber and firewood the rates were too high to give mill-owners and others a fair chance of making legitimate profit. Mr. J. Brown remarked that road metal and ballast were abundant in the Hutt District, and were the rates reasonable they could be brought to town. Ho, for instance, would have tendered for tho 10,000 yards of road metal recently advertised by the Corporation, had the rates been more reasonable, but was unable to do so in consequence of the excessive railway charges. Mr. Ormond thanked the deputation for the information they hod provided him with on the different subjects discussed, and promised that the matter should receive full consideration.

The deputation having thanked Mr, Ormond, then withdrew.