SUBURBAN RAILWAY LEAGUE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17691, 31 July 1919, Page 3

SUBURBAN RAILWAY LEAGUE

A meeting of the executive of the West Hajrbour Railway League was held on Tuesdav ovoning, when there was a good attondoiico. j\ir G. Erruigton ocoupied the chair. iho correspondence received was of an interesting and encouraging nature, and included promises ot support Irom the Returned Soldiers' Association, tho Sports Protection Association, tho Agricultural and Pastoral Society, and tho Shakespearean Soo'ioty. 'l'iio secretary was instructed to write to tho lociil traffic manager thanking him for acceding to tho league's request for tho lato train on Saturday ovening (July 19) for the poace celebrations, and also expressing regret that tho deportment could not see its way clear to provide tho 9.30 p.m. train every Saturday. Mr A. Thomycroft drew attention to the number of trains running between Christchurch and Lyttelton as against those on tho Dunedin and Port Chalmers line. Where ou the former lino some 18 passenger trains run daily (not including the ferry train), on tho latter lino there are only 13, and these include tho through trains, which do not cater for suburban traffic Tho members fully recognised that the Railway Department apparently had unusual difficulties to oontend with at tho present time, but at the same time they thought that more favourablo treatment should be meted out to the Dunedin-Port Chalmers line. It was hoped that the department would soon be in a position to reinstate some of tho trains, and evontuallv the whole of them. Considerable discussion aroso on the question of the genuineness of the present coal shortago or whether political considerations wero factors of the cause of the railway restrictions. The consensus of opinion of those present was that if the coal shortage was the rea ltrouble the Government should havo foreseen it 3 advent and provided against it; and on the other hand, if political considerations were operating in tho matter, the sooner those considerations wore removed and the economic and industrial interests of the dominion allowed to assume their normal conditions, the better it would bo for everyone. With, a view to further strengthening tho league it was decided to arrange for a meeting to be held at St. Leonard's shortly.