OUR RAILWAYS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 321, 12 January 1909, Page 2

OUR RAILWAYS.

l!y Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Kepl/ing to-day to a deputation from residents along the Manuwatii line asking for increased facilities, especially in the way of additional trains, tire Hon, Mr. .Millar made some remarks applicable to the railways of the Dominion at large. So lar as the demands for an increased service on the .Manawatu line were concerned, he said there would be no increase until improvements now in hand had been effected. 11l the meantime there would be no great accek'ra•'"ii of speed. At the present time the line was carrying its minimum (sic) capacity, and it had to he remembered that nu timber was coming down from the .Main Trunk country. He had laid down a principle that the suburban area was mil to u.xtwid beyond twenty miles. That was a wide area. He made it clear that lie did not expect a train to pay every day, but if there were a loss over thi'L'o months the whole public should not have to pay a dead loss for a small section of the community, lie wanted to do as much as he cont'd while carefully considering the revenue of tire country. He did not say that he could make the railways earn any more than they were, but he would not make them lose any more than they were losing. •Sunday was a day of rest, and the staff had a right to he considered. He was not in favor of encouraging Sunday trains to any great extent, lie did not know of any inland Sunday service in New Zealand (excluding those to the shipping ports), with the exception of Otaki. He certainly knew of no train from the country into a city. Such a service would not pay to ' commence with, because people preferred, so he had always understood, to remain in the country. The men were hard worked now, and he did not wish to impose additional burdens on them.