THE LATE TRAIN.

Putaruru Press, Volume II, Issue 41, 31 July 1924, Page 3

THE LATE TRAIN.

CHAMBER PROPOSES. But Minister - Disposes. At a recent meeting of the Matamiata Chamber of Commerce it was decided to write the Minister of Railways pointing out to him the advantages of a night train, leaving Frankton Junction for Auckland after the arrival of the various evening “ wild cats ” from the King Country and the Thames Valley. At the last meeting of the Chamber, a communication was received for the Minister deprecating the proposal in its entirety. The letter stated that the scheme had been gone into and that it was found impracticable. It meant that the train asked for would not reach Auckland before 2 a.m. A return train, for which there was no demand, would have to be maintained in order to balance the services. With regard to the chamber’s contention that there was congestion at the Frankton hotels and boardinghouses, the writer said there was no evidence of this, and he finally stated that there was no call to substitute the proposed train for the seven o’clock •morning train from Frankton.

Mr. Davies thought the Minister had stretched the position somewhat, especially with regard to the train not reaching Auckland until 2 a.m. The chairman thought that in allowing five hours for the trip from Frankton to Auckland, the Minister was estimating the speed of a very slow train. It was not a goods train that was wanted. The letter gave him the impression that Hamilton in fluence had inspired the Minister’s altitude.

Another letter, this one from the Te Aroha Chamber of Commerce, was then read. This letter thanked the Matamata chamber for supporting the proposal, and p?id that the matter would not be allowed to drop.

Mr. Buchanan said that as the Te Aroha chamber was the prime mover in the matter, he thought that that body should be again communicated with and asked to get into touch with other chambers and local bodies in the territory affected, in order that a combined and concentrated agitation might be made in favour of the scheme. It was incorrect to state that the train was not wanted. The commercial travellers in the province were with the proposal to a man, and they had the support of almost every local body, with the exception of Hamilton, in the South Auckland district. Mr. Buchanan’s motion to write the Te Aroha chamber as outlined, along with a copy of the Minister’s letter, was carried.