OUR RAILWAY NEEDS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 238, 1 October 1908, Page 3

OUR RAILWAY NEEDS.

DEPUTATION TO THE TRAFFIC MANAGER. HE DROPS A BOMBSHELL A largo and representative, dcpu.a • S i"l "" '" g dele * ,tea f ™» "* Tarn- , naki Chamber ol Commerce, New l'lv mouth Borough Council, Employer/!* socaticn, Drapers', tirocers'! ami ironK, A ?«w»«i»n», Taranuki Eduction Board, New Pl. vlUo „th Harbor few' r X " n,IM,Jd Pwduw »' *™X ork s Company, supported by the pril ," upals „f vanous commercial firm/in,! ■ Jjr. J. i.. Armstrong, District Traffic Manager, at the Tow„ aM yestera v afternoon, to lay before him certam U~<I*""? m «<?™S the need for Tho Mayor, Mr. 0. Tisch, „resi<l,-(l over the meeting, and explained to Mr Armstrong that practically even- i - tere s t lu Nc«.p l y 1 ,,„„tl 11 ,;, 1 ,, )1 .- s ,,; 1 ;. <1 : The first matter they wished to brutg under his m ,,ieew. ls -;i K . lim i,i for he arrival of a train i„ _\ cw Ph :. sent. the fi , t tri(in aw iiri . jvii • 10-to a.m U was suggested thaf an additional tram should be put on runaingfrom Stratford, to arrive at' \,".

•jllymoulU about Docloek in the ~»).„ ing. l-.leve,, oelock was rather !ate f< i the arrival ot the Jirst mornimr (,„;„ m New Plymouth, the capital town ol I the province. It wa.s right' enough v"a,' ago, but New Plymouth had quite" outgrown the present service. Spcakiuo >\< a member of the Education Board" h • was in a position to know of the iiu'on". veiuence caused to education bv fiie want of a train to bring in, country pupils to the Technical School and the baturday classes for teachers. Childr-n hi the Waitara, luglewood, Bell Block Lepperton, and intervening districts' should be enabled to take advantage of

the exceptional facility provided by the (.overnment for advanced education m J«ew (Plymouth. Hi s Worship inferred to the fact that a train arriving earlier would be of great convenience I to jiieiifbcrs of the various local bodies winch met in New Plymouth. IVn too, there was no doubt that the increasing volume of butter received at the freezing work 3 here would have to be considered. It would be recognised that it was important to handle butter in the early and cool part of the day, but, instead of that, under present conditions the dairy produce arrived li»;-e at about the hottest part of the da v. It was most desirable and necessary that there should be an earlv train 'ro'r the conveyance- of that produce. Passing on, Mr. Xisch said that the townspeople were now of opinion that a later train outwards was required, the 4.1S p.m. train not being enough. They su«gcHed an outward train at about 6.30 p.m., to be delayed till 9.30 p.m. on Saturdays

Mr. J. B. Coniwtt spoke on behalf of those engaged in the dairying industry, aiipeiirmg as chairman of directors of the Taranaki Producers' Company, n concern owned in the most part by the co-operative dairy companies throughout Taranaki. He stated that for the

purposes of this rapidly-c-xpanding industry an early train was needed, pr;I ferably one arriving in, Xew Plymouth at about 8 o'clock; but hi s company w.is prepared to join in with the ri.qiiest for one at 9 o'clock, which would be a big improvement upon present conditions. He had .been informed by the New Plymouth stationmastor that it was impossible to bring in all the dairy produce on the train arriving here at about 11 a.m., so that now it came in at all hours. He asked the District Traffic Manager to endeavor to put on a train from Stratford to pick up the bulk of the butter and land it at the freezing works early in the morning. There was going to be an enormous output of butter 'and cheese this year in Taranaki, and he believed that over

-20il,(!00 boxes of butter would be put through the freezing works here. He asked also that butter-waggons arriving at the local station should be sent on to the freezing works siding with the lea it possible delay, so that the Government graders would not have to work till all hours of the night, and so that the produce could, as it most certainly should, be placed in cool store on the day of its arrival. Sometimes this wis impossible under the existing state of affairs. Mr. T. C. Schnackenberg, as president of the Chamber of Commerce, supported the application for the extra iuwavd and outward train. At present people coining in to New Plymouth to do business complained that by the time they reached here half the day had gone. Opinion throughout the town was pr.'.ctically unanimous that there should be

a train outward after business hours, anil that as Saturday was market-day here the Saturday evening train >hould be delayed till about ll.illl. He mentinned that the Chamber oi Commerce had been asked to a-d;, on behalf c

Waitara .people and settlers northwavd fn.-m Waitara. that a train should Inrun from Waitara n> connect at 2.lf>

with the train running from Jlawcra to New Plymouth and arriving here

about ;i.*2(( p.m. People arriving at Lc,>perton Junction by that train at about

i o'clock had to wait uutil the arrival of the next train from the south at

4.115 p.m. Mr. Lcnnon, representing Messrs. X. Borthwick and Sons, Ltd., at Waitara, said he had come in specially to direct a'ttention to the fact that there was no train from Waitara guaranteed to connect with the north express at Leppcrton Junction at 7.35 p.m. There was a train, but it was not bound to connect with the mail, and people wishing to go north by steamer from New Plymouth at 9 o'clock had to catch the 0.25 p.m. train at Waitara. He suggested also that the train arriving in New Plymouth at 7.24 ip.ni. should cross 'the southward train at Tariki iustead of Inglewood, and arrive at its destination about an hour earlier. Mr. Armstrong said he had been exceedingly pleased to meet the large and representative body of citizens, and ne promised that the matters brought before him would receive every consideration. It was an easy matter, of course, to ask for extra trains, but he would remind them that it co-It 5s per mile for every train running. That had to be takeii into consideration. Referring to 'the morning trains, he said that any alteration of the running of the present llawera-New Plymouth lirst train would I not be tolerated. A voice: We don't a-k for it. Mr. Armstrong said Unit on the previous evening, at Stratford, he had met representatives of the Borough Council and the Chamber of Commerce, who informed him that they were well satistied with the present timetable, although tin'V would welcome any extra trains. At"li)-<l>-.wood liv had found the

same feeling in existence. This pro- j posed additional morning train might be a convenient one in some respects, but he was sure it would not pay. The Department couldn't run. a train for the convenience of school-children, and the dairy produce traffic was for only tincc mouths in the. year. Mr. Connctt reckoned that if that were* so the dairy farmers would soon be bankrupt. Mr. Armstrong ventured the opinion 'that it would not suit people in Hie country to be compelled to send in a'l their produce by any one train. The Department had' always considered the butter traffic in 'the matter of providing means of transit, lie suggested th.it i> man in business would not be tempted to run this train, if at a loss. Mr. Connctt said that a lmsine-s nun would increase his facilities for handling as his trade increased, and the Hailwuy Department Jiould do the same. As it wu-. 'the Department was causing considerable loss to the farmers as "butter men." Mr. Armstrong then compared ine

local service with the morning train■ services to oUier centre-. The lirsi trn n from Ashlmrtou arrived in Christi liun-li at 111.45: from Southbridge at about the -aim- time: ami the outward «rainwere at 4 p.m. and 4.15 p.m. Apart from .-üburban traffic, the lir-l train into Dunedin reached there at il tiV.ock ami left at 4 p.m.; at Wanganui trains arrived at 11.10 and ll.»'». I avin-' at -U5 ""'1 -- : i ': ilt Auckland i unit of'the lie.ivv suburban traffic, •j'he lirst train from the Wairarapa to

Vu.|l:ii"ti.n reached there n't 11.-Ht a.m., and the last tmiii mil iva- at 3.« l>.m. Si that, compared Willi other cemivs. New PlvnioiHh was !i»l liiullv "»' '« thiit matter. Jlut if 'tin- Department «•:!- prepared t" fin-0 tin' matt it of pillli'.'i" "ii 'lll'' <'*tr:i -en ices he won!.l ,„•:„,! ii,l it. A\'"li »"i.'iar.t_ to Ur. Lemon's r»'.|ii<-t f"i' ;< connection "-'- 1 ; .J,,. express tram. In' thought '";"• would l.i-arrau'ii'il in the new timetable. \.i„ altering tin' cros-injx-placc "I tiiv ni her train mentioned l.vhiin. he wn.dcl have t» look into (lie matter. lie (Ik ~'ot think that the tvallic warrant,-, iiutinu' mi an extra outward tram, iv rcpies'ted. I Mr. Council a-Ud if it were not : fact that l-'itter was railed 1.. \\ ellm;. I ,„„ ii; ;,„ horn- early enough to aUv I Hi., {muter* t" start work on it at o'clock. He remarked that W'ellinjito: received not nearly a« mneli butter a \ we did in > r ew Plymouth. Mr; Armstrong said that during tli

butter season extra trains were run, as they were here. -Mr. Coimott said no special inward I V'" ms woa ' I ' un tu su't -fcl»« butter-pro-iliicci-a of Tarauaki, ami he asked that I J it extra traiius could not be I .rovided,|

'there should be extra hauling-power mi the present morning train to allow ol the whole 01 the butlur coming in by it instead of dribbling in throughout "the altenioon. Mr. JoJins suggested Uiat if no fell

I trains were procurable the present timetable luiglni be amended, for instance the train arriving here about half an hour before the express might be more conveniently timed. -Mr. Armstrong .said that that train was valuable to settlers along the line

a» an evening train whieJi stopped ai the wayside Nations. The mail train following it did not stop. -Mr. &linacken.l,erg. stated that the Uuuu-lwr of Commerce had been com-j mumoiting with outside districts, and lound an almost unanimous desire for improved services. He read a lett„>r lrom the lnglcwoud Jlorough Council in support.

I In the course of further remarks, Jlr. Armstrong dropped a bombshell into •Hit; midst of the assembled citizens by stilting thnt under the proposed new timetable, framed to meet the new conditions .to be imposed by the opening of the Mam Trunk Railway, the express train from Wellington' would leave there about !i a.m. and reach New I>l ■■- mouth about !>.») p.m. The ..Mayo,- asked when tlie matter was to be settled, or news of the change available to the public. The District Trallic Manager said tlnvt he understood the timetable was already i„ (l u , p,.,, 55 . !:k , ],.„, SIH , U llr . ullicial outline of the new services In answer to .Mr. Johns, he stated -lint the mail train -vrouUl run very

much as now as fa r as speed and stoppages wore concerned. I'robably the sailing of the steamers from New Plymouth would be altered accordingly At any rate, most of the passenger traffic would go by the Main, Trunk. He thought that very few people from the southward of Jlawera would come va ' Xew Plymouth. JTr. il. E. Jicllringer -said that evidently Taranaki's interests were to be sacrificed to the Main Trunk Railway, ' but lie for one was going to fight to I get ibetter treatment for the district, , which whs not getting that consideration which it deserved. Under this sug-

gcsted timetable it lie steamers wou:d not leave here until about 11 o'clock at night, and could hardly arrive at Onehunga before noon. The new timetable | seemed .to have been framed with the deliberate intention of driving trade from this line to the Main Trunk, and he was not prepared to stand silently by whilst Tavanaki's interests were sacrificed for the 'benefit of other parts 01 the Dominion. The Mayor said it was evident that Taranaki would have to watch elose'y. He understood the Chamber of Commerce had the assurance of tlie Cene'Ml Manager that no alteration would lie made without first giving the Chamber an opportunity of discussing the new proposals. But u<rw it seemed that the programme was already cut and dried. Mr. Armstrong, in answer to a question, said the departure of the train from Wellington would have to be delayed because of the proposed later arrival 0 f the Lyttellon-Welliugton feivy steamers

Mr. Penn said that evidently the Chamber of Commerce was not to be given the opportunity of making representations upon .this matter, as had been promised hy the General Manager. Mr. Newton King said that Mr. Ronayne's promise was to submit a draft of the timetable when a scheme had been outlined. Holding that letter, the Chamber had declined to adopt a motion to draw Mr. Ronayne's further attention to the promise. But ; ;lio Qunnber had been placed in a false position.

Mr. Armstrong said the timetable was not completed yet. but the outline was. '

Mr. Schnackenberg said he thought he could voice the feelings of surprise right through the town when it became known that the timetable was practically in print, when n definite promise had been given that this wouid not be done until New Plymouth had been consulted, with a view to considering recommendations from this end. Mr. Connctt said that it seemed the steamers were being altered to suit the trains. H<» expressed the opinion that the mail train arrived here late enough already.

The Mayor said this was going to bo a serious mailer. Amongst other disabilities he urged that passengers by the steamers would not now be able to catch the Rotorua train.

Mr. King said the suggested scheme seemed to .have been designed to kill the traffic through here.

Mr. Armstrong admitted that everything was being done to get as much traffic as possible for the Main Trunk. Mr. Johns advanced the argument that large numbers of people this side of Jtfavtun would still travel by the New Plymouth route. If lie were at Wanganui he would rather come this way than travel all the way down io Marlon to connect with the other train.

Mr. Armstrong said that very little of the traffic from south of Hawora would come this way. Some people would go a thousand miles to escape the steamer trip.

Mr. Tisch moved a vote of thanks f o Mr. Armstrong for his courteous attention and explanation. Mr. Whitaker, in seconding, throw out a suggestion- tliat as this was of serious moment to Xewi Plymouth anil Taranaki, no time should be lost in calling a public meeting an<l making representations to the Minister and General Manager. It was going to ih> a lot of harm, and when this happened in the face of the General Manager's promise it looked like a slap in the dark. He thought a strong protest should the entered, and, further, that the Government should receive a suggestion as to what Taranaki considered she was justly entitled to. Mr. Armstrong said that New Plymouth was hound "to lose the passenger traffic. Tlml's what the Mam Trunk was for. Mr. Goldwater remarked that New Plymouth wasn't much concerned about the through passenger traffic, but was very much concerned with considering thi' interests of the people of the district. This O.iiO p.m. nirrival was 'ike going hack to the "dark ages." Mr. R. C. Hughes said that it seemad outrageous that these disabilities should be forced on Taranaki. New Plymouth's train facilities should increase in common with those of'the rest of the island, but it seemed that the opposite was to bo the ease. lie referred to the persistent refusal of the Department to moilify the charges on the. port line, and all these things tended to eugeiuler the feeling that instead of the railways being administered for the people they were being run iby the heads of' the Department without thought for the public. The vote of thanks was carried, and Mr. Armstrong responded, expressing his opinion that New Plymouth was a 'bonnic spot." and a wish that his headquarters were here.