THE RAILWAY TIME-TABLE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 252, 17 October 1908, Page 6

THE RAILWAY TIME-TABLE

A PUBLIC PROTEST. [ There was a very huge and repre- | limitative response last night to the Mayor's notice convening a public meet- ( iug to consider the proposals of the Ijoveruiucnt in respect to the alteration of the timetable of the Wellington-New Plymouth express. Mr. (I. Tisch, the .Mayor, presided, and bnrlly stated the laeis leading up to the meeting, starling from the moment when the District Irallic Manager cither accidentally or incidentally let drop the remark 'thiiV under the timetable as revised to suit tlie connection with the Main Trunk Railway the express train from Wellington would not arrive in Suw Plyinoum until 0.30 p.m., or an hour and a-hall : * later than at, present, lie then asked Messrs. Newton King'and J. B. Coiniett to report the result of their iiitcrvnw with the (ieneral Manager of Railways the other day in Wellington. Mr. King said that whilst in Wellington on Harbor board business he aim

with Mr. Ronaync, the (ieneral Manager of Railways, who had told them lie; District Irallic Manager had been wrong in stating that the timetable was politically li.icd, as announced by him. As a matter of fact, no linalily had been arrived at, and there was considerate ditlieullyin lixing the timetable. The deputation gathered from Mr. Ruiiu\uc that if New Plymouth had any repie-si-illations to make with regard to the service a protest from a public meeting would receive full consideration. It appeared that if they were content I.) have through connection with Dunedhi on three days a ween instead of six, it they put an urgent protest ill thoj might gel it. On the three days a week | when the -.Maori' was running from Lyttel'ton to Wellington the steamer would connect with the New Plymouth express, but unfortunately there were not two "Maoris" on the iun. He menj tinned that Mr. Ronayne had informed :. them that he hail not "forgotten his promise to forward a copy of the outlined service to the Chamber of Commerce before decision. lie uiuved, "That in framing the timetable of the AucklandWellington service the. railway authorities be advised Unit this meeting strongly protest against auv change being made in the timetable*of the Wclling- , ton-New Plymouth express service ;n . which the arrival of the express train , at New Plymouth from Wellington is ; made later than 8 p.m." j Mr. King considered it in the iuter- , ests of both town and country to inain- ; tain the present service, lie'had heard \ some people say that this matter did I, not. all'ecl. luglewood. Stratford, and Kllliam. but lie thought delay of the-

man train as suggested would lie decidedly inimical to'their interests. At Stratford, for instance, there was the railway line running away into the interior. People ivlio did not know tin 1 district had no idea of the importance of that line and the magnificent territory it would open up. He thought that if (be mail train were too late i;i arriving at Stratford it could not con

nccl with that line, which would he a misfortune to Taranaki. His idea was that verv few people from northward of Wangaiiui would travel to Auckland by the Main Trunk Kailway, and it thus became important to retain tic present, steamer service connecting with the railway services at Auckland and return to iX'ew Plymouth in time for the south express each (lay. Mr. W. Ambmy, representing the Employers' Association, seconded, lie considered there was a good deal of "bind"' in the strong pica put forward for the direct Wull'-Auckland service, for few people would want to make the trip i right through in 48 hours without a break, lie considered it more important to get flic mail train here early from Wellington and link up with the Oiiehunga steamer service than to strive for a dailv mail from Siinedin. The cargo, trade from the South Island, of course, would not be all'eetcd. If the Department thought it imperative to delay the departure of the 'Parana: i express from Wellington, then the riming should he accelerated so that "he (rain would arrive here, no later than now.

Mr. ,T. B. Oonnett said that this matter of speeding-up the train had been mentioned by himself and Mr. King to the General Manager, who had refused (o entertain the idea. He pointed out that the suggested delay in the train service would affect our steamer passengers, and perhaps result in reduction of the service. It would be better to put up with a little inconvenience from the south until the Union Steam Ship Company put another 'Maori'' o" (he Utlolton Wellington ferry service. Mr. 11. (loodacre remarked that New Plymouth people were too modest in their demands. Instead of this meeting merely asking (or the retention of prosent facilities, it should strongly demand improvements, such.as the provision of earlier trains inwards to met the needs of eonntvv people and later trains outward in the evening. Mr. M. Frasor was .of the opposite opinion. At present \ew Plymouth should eoneeiitrate its energies on the retention of the present service. That secured, they could ask for more. The motion was carried without dissent.

Mr. Coiinett then moved, ''That in the interests of fanners it, is absolutely necessary for mi earlier train to be. put on for the carriage 0 i dairy produce to the Moturoa freezing-works, the train to arrive in Now Plymouth not later than 0 a.m." He recapitulated the arguments in favor of the proposal, pointing out that, the present inadecpiate service was prejudicial to jth'o aairyina Ma* try from the fact Unit right through lie summer the butter was arriving at the works during all hours of the day. Mr. (..'oodaero, in seconding, said flint everyone recognised that farming n» the backbone of the country, and that in Taranaki '•b-u-t-t-c-r" spelt "gold." Kvery facility should be provided to secure the landing of the butter at Moturoa m good condition. At present he believed, butter was often in the trucks all night and after noon the next day. He would like to see pa.ssen"er cars attached for tl 1( . convenience °of school pupils and the general public. The motion was carried unanimously. Upon the motion of Messrs. Schnackeul.erg and W. D. Webster, it was decided to forward copies of the resolutions to the Minister of Railways, the General Manager, District Trallic Manager, and Mr. 11. Okev, M.P. Votes of thanks were accorded Mossn. King and Connett for their services, and to the Mayor for presiding.

SOVTHEKX TAItANAIU'S 11F.QU1IIFMENTS. At Thursday's meeting of the 'iValiuki Executive of the S cw Zealand I'ai-mer.-' Union, .Mr. Allluiseu, .sneakinWilli reference to the Main Trunk line" said thai when tlie through service «-i----mauguratcd Southern i'arauaki w«« going to,; .sull'er. The present exprc-s to A'ew riyiiKiulh would be delavcd In leave llawera an hour and a-liaif. and thus inconvenience the jvoplc of Southcm Taraunki. lie tliouglil tlie (ra ; u

should run the same time as at present. The chairman (Mr. Maxwell) said the policy of the; (iovernnient would bo to cater for their Main Trunk line. Mr. Ailliuscn: Their policy ought to be (lie lonveiiienee of the public The chairman said the line was for the means- of communication direct wi'l Auckland. Mr. Limbic: i-'roni where': Mr. Davidson: Wellington. Mr. Ailliuscn considered Hie liovcpi men!, were «.,ie.. i„ L!..--is. p,. : ,n|c ....imi north via New i'lvmoiilh. The chairman was of the opinii n th il the Covcriiuuu'. were endcivuriiig n, encourage passenyr tnillic to linlorn.i. The executive were ipiite villnn the-r right; in seeing that heal conveniences were not going to suffer through t'.i" I, Main Trunk line. .Mr. Allmisen eventually moved. "Thai this executive enter an' emphatic protest against'the proposed delay in the Hortl'.-nmning mail train, as it will verv much iiieonvi'irenee th" Tarnna I .' settlers using the line." Mr. Stevenson seconded. The resolution was euii'ied wilhoii dissent.--Ilitwera Star.