FASTER EXPRESSES.

Shannon News, 10 March 1925, Page 2

FASTER EXPRESSES.

DISTRICT DELEGATES MEET RAIL- ' WAY BOARD. THE DEPARTMENT’S INTENTIONS. (By Oiur Special Reporter). Tiie matter oi tne suggested cuiungout oi tiie stations between Pahueisiu.i. Norm and Wellington as stopping places jor tiie Wellington—-i\ew Plymouth. and Weßingmn—rvapier expresses, which lias neen tiie occasiun oi mucn opposition..m the Alanavvatu uistiuct, cuunmuted yesieiaay ni a deputation which waited on the Banway Board in Wellington, 'me personiiei of the deputation, which was representative of the whole district directed was as follows: All W. H. Field, M.P., Mr G. A. Monk (chairman ol the rioruwhenua Gounly council!. Levin; Messrs X. Hobson (Mayor;, A.. C. Holms and K. Aitken (Chamber ' oi Commerce). Snannon; Mr W. Murdocii (Mayor). Otaki: Messrs J. P. Brandon (Mayor), T. O’Rourke, and F. G. Davies (Borough Council); C. T. Atmore, W. Hi. Reynolds and M. A. Dunkley (Utalii Chaniper of commerce). Paraparuumu: Mr A. iMcLean. Paekukaiaki: Messrs a. Maokay (chairman Hurt County), and R/idd. Pliimnerton: Mr A. H. MUdenliall. Johnsonville: Messrs A. More, G. Angell, and G. Watson. Copies of a confidential report as to a proposed time-table, issued by tiie Minister of Railways to Mr Field, M.P., were in title hands of the delegates, this report constituting the subject of the discussion to a great extent. It was pointed out by the Railway Board that 'this time-table was merely a suggested one and open to alteration in the interests oi the districts served. A large part ol the deputation's arguments were concerned with discussion as. to possible improvement, especially as regards the time-table ol the “feeder’’ trains, should it be found impossible to grant the five-stop programme asked f.o-r. This discussion, being based on a con- . fidential report, was; unfortunately not open for publication. Mr W. H. Field, who introduced, the deputation, apologised for the absence of Mr J. Linklater, who had, he explained been absent in the South Island when the deputation was' arranged.

Those present, Mr Field said, represented the whole of the Manawatu district, where considerable concern was felt at the suggestion that the expresses should not stop at all on the the length of the line. They desireo to look at the matter from a standpoint wider than the merely parochial and recognised that a speeding-up of the services was desirable. At the same time it was felt that the present proposals were too drastic. At a meeting of delegates from the various centres, held in the Hut-t County Chambers prior to tiie deputation, it was agreed that they siiould ask the Department to leave in five stopping-places between Palmerstorf North and Wellington, viz., Shannon, Levin, Otaki, Paekakaxiki, and J°hnsonville. Provided the Manawatu district was not being victimised in. the matter of cutting-out stopping-places —if the reduction was part of a general scheme, and not peculiarly applied to the Manawatu the people ’desired to do all they could to assist the Government. Mir Field went on to deal with various matters concerning suburban traffic and alternate services. Mr G. A. Monk, Who was the next speaker, said that it was'recognised that the Board had dealt with the matter from a viewpoint wider than tiie interests of the Manawatu exclusively —which, however, were inevitably of paramount importance to the deputation. The matter hud been gone into by the delegates earlier in tiie day and the smaller stations were willing to fprego the benefit of the expresses stopping, provided a fuirf'y fast passenger train was provided as an alternative. Tiie Boroughs, however, were in a different position. Eacih was the outlet for its immediate district and a fairly important business centre, and these felt that they would be detrimentally affected unless some stop were made. If tiie whole lengths of lines from Wellington to New Plymouth, and from Wellington to Napier were taken on the same population basis as the stopping places suggested by the deputation, there would be only twelve stops \on either route be-

tween Wellington and the terminus. It niusi be pointed out, Mr Monk proceeded, that an adequate railway service made tor settlement in a district, and that settlement made lor greater revenue Tqr'the railway. Those present felt that whilst it would be possible to so arrange feeder trains for the smaller stations the live larger centres at least should be left in. Mr T. Hobson pointed out that 'Levin was quite satisfied with the present system and did not desire to have it interfered with. At the same time

they had decided that if a change was inevitable, they would support the remainder of the district in a demand for five stopping places. He pointed out tiie growing importance of Levin as a residential district and file natural centre of the County, arid instanced the fact that at present £24,000 was being spent on municipal buildings and theatre. “If the proposed change is made, Mr Hobson stated, “it will be impossible to get theatrical companies to stop at Levin, as it would be necessary for them to change ovcu- at Palmerston North, which would not suit them.” Mr, F. J. Jones (chairman of the Railway Board); You do not want us to lose £500,000 a year, so that you can have plays? Mr Hobson, continuing, asked that in any change made, the interests of travelling school children should be considered, and also that the southbound feeder train, should have time to connect woth the Lyttelton ferry boat.

Mr A. C. Holms questioned if the necessity existed for the fast expresses proposed by the Department. Had it been a fact that duplication of the services was necessary then through expresses would be logical, but as it was he did not consider that they were. Mr Holms went on to compare the

population of England with that ol New Zealand, declining it to be reuicuious to base our. traffic services on those of England, where on a smaller area, the population was times as targe. There U was logical to run fast expresses between great centres, hut In New Zealand where the population was diffused and the rural traffic oi such relative importance rt was neccessary to give a first-class service to much smaller; places. Regarding the five-siop plan advocated, this would mean only a difference of to minutes in tine running of ii.c train, a toss which would he little or nothing in comparison to the service given.

Messrs Brandon, Atmore, and Murdoch, More and Mackay also spoke along similar lines. Mr Miidenhall entered a protest against the five-stop proposal. He was quite satisfied with the present service, but ■if any alteration was to he made lie objected to other seaside stations receiving a better service than did Plimmerton. Air Jones, in answer, said that the Board was very pleased indeed to meet ’ the representatives of the district. It must be remembered, he said, that when the. Railway Department instituted U policy, it had to be one that suited file interests of the country at large, and not a section of it only. At file same time they were glad to confer with those interested on all occasions, recognising that from their suggestions many valuable hints might be taken.

It must be kept hi mind Mr Jones proceeded that the object of an express train was not to carry passengers from Wellington to Johnsonville—the local trains could do that. What was desired was that those travelling long distances should be able tq do so with tiie minimum of discomfort and. delay. Regarding the Manawatu, he thougnt he was safe in saying that they had as good service there as existed in “any part of New Zealand. Mr Field: lire present service is all light. Mi’ Hobson: We said we. were satisfied with the present service. Continuing, Mr Jones said that the Department had to get the volume ol traffic— Mr Murdoch; If you cut out the central stations you will not do it. Mr Jones:. The through expresses are not meant to serve the Manawatu, We must not look upon this matter from a narrow or parochial point of view. Primarily, he proceeded, the Department had to make the railways pay, and the only way to do so was to cater fu,r the comfort of the travelling public. They coiuld rest assured that the Department would see that as little injury as\possible was suffered by the Manawatu—a good passenger service would be maintained, but the long-distance traveller had to be, cater-' ed lor.

The question of running* all trains pn the Manawatu line, with, the exception of mail trains, to Lambiton Station, instead of Thorndon as at present, was also considered. ,