CURTAILMENT OF TRAINS

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 7, Issue 360, 15 March 1918, Page 2

CURTAILMENT OF TRAINS

Roads and Race Traffic At the meeting of the Franklin County Council last Friday a letter was read from the Manawatu County Council inviting support to the following resolution passed by that authority, viz : " That the Minister'? attention should be drawn to the fact that through the Railway Department refusing to run special trains in connection with race meetings a large amount of extra motor traffic is thrown upon the roads and that the coat of repairing the extra damage done by this motor traffic is much greater to the country than the cost of running special trains to local race meetings." It was added that it was estimated that extra cost of repairing damage done to the roads in Manawatu County through race traffic amounted to at least £IOOO per annum and it was asked that the member for the district should be approached to support the resumption of race specials so that local bodies would not be penalised by the policy of the Railway Department. The Chairman (Cr Motion) remarked that the Government had not only curtailed the train services but had increased the charges to the general public. Cr Wilcox expressed the opinion that it would be wrong of the Council to support the resolution as the Government were doing their best for the public under trying conditions.

(Jr Montgomerie was of a similar opinion and thought that if any agitation were made it would be better to make representation for the provision of more stock trains which were more important than race trains.

On the motion of Or Lockwood the letter was " received."

A similar communication also came before the Manukau County Council last Tuesday. Cr Brownhill expressed the opinion that the Council should represent all sections of the community and should not take any action with regard to the resolution in question. As a Councillor he was opposed to the resolution. Cr Waters did not share Cr Browhill's views and thought that the curtailment of race trains was against the public interest seeing that a good deal of revenue was lost by the Government's action. He considered that special trains should be reinstated.

The Chairman (Cr Bell) remarked that he (fid not think the roads in the Manukau County had been seriously affected by motor traffic. Cr Luke considered that undoubtedly a good deal of revenue was lost by the curtailment of race trains. He was inclined to support the resolution.

Cr Brownhiill explained that personally he shared Cr Waters views, but not as a public man. Cr Hattaway moved that the Manawatu Council's resolution should be supported with the addition that equal train facilities should be granted to agricultural and other shows, which were promoted for the public benefit. The motion was unanimously agreed to.