“WHAT WE WANT.”

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 37, 12 February 1913, Page 2

“WHAT WE WANT.”

DEPUTATIONS TO THE MINISTER OF RAILWAYS. At tho Borough Council Chambers last evening the Hon. W. H. Berries, Minister of Railways, was met by deputations from the Stratford Borough Council and the Chamber of Commerce, when local needs were placed before the Minister. Mr J. B. Hinc, M.P., briefly welcomed Mr Berries on his first visit to Stratford and introduced the deputations. The Stratford-Te Koura Line. The Mayor, Mr W. P. Kirkwood, extended a hearty welcome to Mr Heiries, and explained that the district; which he was visiting was a very] progressive one, and its needs veiy , numerous. There was a very, important work being prosecuted near Stratford, namely, the Stratford-Te Kouia railway, which would connect Stiatfoid with the Main Trunk line. In ! thte Taranaki town the citizens lived on the man on the laud, and tjre interests of both were identical. Benefits that were reaped by one were reaped by the other, and that was why the Stratford Borough Council was taking such an active interest in the lino running “out east.” His Council would like a pronouncement from the Government on intentions of the Government' in respect to this line; also art indication of tho minimum numbdr 1 of men who would be employed on the work of that line, so that tho people of Stratford would know that the line would be prosecuted with reasonable vigour. Tlie market town of tire hinterland was. Stratford, Before the line was out to ; Pohokura the freight on goods was more than tire cost of goods in Stratford. Times had changed since the railway had been constructed. The people of Stratford were very well satisfied with tho train arrangements; there was not a town of its size better served or which had a more convenient time-table than had Stratford. Mr W, H. H. Young, in supporting His Worship’s request, said that the whole of the settlement in the district served by tho line had emanated from Taranaki, and hardly, anything had come from the Auckland district. Iho settlers had' been supplied with goods from here, ancl 'tho young stock had come from Stratford. Naturally, the} wished to retain this connection and see the line* pushed on. The Hon. Mr Herries, in reply, said that as far as the cost of construction of railways was concerned that was a matter for ifie Minister of Public Worlds,' No dopbt the Minister would come up here and visit .the* line, tlie Hon.. ‘Mr Fraser was before the recess closed, to yigijfc ,J}ll the lines ; now under construction. Ho regretted that he could not give an assurance of the ppm})qp,pf,.^9 1 V !^ l( l.,wphhl,be employed, but he could give tho deputation this assurance that he and his colleagues recognised that the connection from Stratford,with t% 'Main Trunk was one of mpst important in the colony. (Applause.) “I, <jon t say, continued Mr Berries, “it is the most important, because I have my own East Coast railways to look after, but I think it is extremely important, and I can assure you, as far as Cabinet is concerned, that the contraction ot this line is one that has to be completed. When it will bo completed, is of course, a different thing. We are in a state of altering our financial proposals. Wd are trying now to do away with the old system of shortdated debentures, which dike promissory notes, are always falling due at a time you don’t want them to. We are trying to alter our old system of borrowing in order to have long loans so that every time the Minister sits down at the table he will not have to think, can he get so much money. Of course the whole system- of public works in this colony depends upon our financial arrangements. His Worship has recognised this, and T think you will recognise it. If our financial arrangements are successful j then we will prosecute public works in this colony with vigour. W r e realise that the back country has to be opened up. W T e believe that more good can be done in opening up the back country than can be done in erecting public buildings in districts that are well settled. We believe that tho back blocks ought to be opened up. The Minister of Public Works has expressed this opinion, and my colleagues are agreed that if there is any shortage it ought not to be in the roads, as we believe that the construction of these are even more important than the construction of railways. As far as the Stratford railway is concerned, that is a line that has been agitated for for years and years, and it is a line that we recognise is of primary importance in the colony. I can’t give any guarantee of tho number ot men to bo employed on it.” (Applause.)

Ths Stratford Railway Station. Mr J. B. Richards, secretary of the Stratford Chamber of Commerce, proffered several requests as to the railway station, and said that inconvenience and danger arose from the position in which it had been laid oft. The Minister would notice that the railway here ran right through the middle of the town. Of course, that was the result of the early survey and the subsequent growth of the town. Years ago, no doubt, it was very convenient indeed to have the town so close to the railway station, but the fact that the trains closed the streets, which in those days were not streets, did not matter very much. But now, with growth of trade and population, and the fact that the trains had to shunt over two streets, namely, Regan and Fenton streets, constituted

a grave danger to the people hero. Ho might say that close to the Fenton street crossing there was the public school which 712 children attended, and a very great majority of these > children had to cross the railway line at three o’clock, when there were trains shunting across the "Streets. They had made urgent requests that the dangers should be lessened, and in response to these requests the Department had erected alarm bells, which, of course, greatly minimised the danger to the children. Up to the present there had been no serious accident, but there was no use waiting for a fatality before remedying the evil. They did not feel that it became them to indicate the manner in which the danger should be averted, and the difficulty, overcome. They recognised that' there was a difficulty, but they felt it would be for the Department to overcome that difficulty, possibly by means of a subway, or possibly by means of an island station. Mr Richards also pointed out that there was inconvenience owing to the fact that they had to travel right round Regan street to get to the goods shed,; possibly, a subway over the line would overcome that difficulty. The speaker said with regard to the Regan street crossing that when trains were shunting he had noticed that the traffic was often blocked. He also mentioned the matter of the unsightliness of the railway premises, and asked that these should be remedied by the erection of a fence. He suggested that a certain portion'-of the railway premises on which material had been dumped should be levelled, and sown in grass. No doubt the local body wound undertake to keep it out. .

Replying to the Chamber’s requests, Mr Harries said that with regard to the fence lie thought that had been arranged for, and they had already approved of putting up a fence. Of course, there had been trouble with regard to the advertising, as the contracts had already been entered into, but he thought they would be able to get over that difficulty. He admitted that there was unsightliness, which could be noticed by anyone going into or out of the station. With regard to the railway station, he was informed by his responsible officers that there was not room enough to allow of an island station being constructed. The only alternative was to shift the station out of the town, which he did not think would be desirable for the town. As to' the subways, it was quite impossible for the Department to put them in. If the Borough wished to put them in, the Department would raise no opposition, but there had been no accidents, and they were doing the best they could by putting up alarm bells. They had no property on the other side on which to,construct an island platform. As far as the shunting on the streets was concerned, they must continue to have the long platform with the scissors crossing in order to enable the trains to cross. It was quite possible not to have the passenger trains crossing sin Stratford, but not so far as the goods trains were concerned. As he had said, the only alternative was to sell their property and move out front Stratford, though he did not know . whether this would suit the residents. As it was now, the station was very convenient for the residents. (Applause.)

The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks to the Minister which was carried by acclamation.