THE TRAIN SERVICE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 252, 30 November 1909, Page 2

THE TRAIN SERVICE

DEPUTATION TO THE MINISTER. GIVING THE NEW TIME-TABLE A TRIAL, ACCELERATING THE SPEED OF THE TRAIN.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Representatives of local bodies Irom Hawera to New Plymouth waited on the Minister for Railways this morning and complained <of the fact that under the new timetable the train readies New Plymouth at 0.20 p.m. The chief points were that the new timetable would interfere with the steamer trado between the breakwater and Onohunga, as the Northern Company had been deterred from putting on.three steamers a we* instead of two; that the revenue of the Harbor Hoard, which had.lately raised a big l'oan for development purposes, would be seriously curtailed; anil that the later arrival of the train would mean serious inconvenience to si'tller* I all along the line. The Hon. J. A. Millar, in replying, pointed out that Tarauaki, which formerly was the main line and had to lie dealt with specifically, was nmv superseded by the North Island .Main Trunk line, and the tiniu-taule had to be made so as to work in with the latter. He was very sorry to have to tell them that no alteration could be made in the meantime, because all arrangements had been made for bringing it into operation on tith December. 11c did not agree with the objections of the Northern Steamship Company that the hours ot running the train would prevent them running three steamers a week. The time-table would in the meantime have to be carried into operation, and he could nlsV> say that there was no chance of making the train arrive in >few Plymouth at 8 p.m. lie could only get it "speeded up" from Palmerston N"orth, and he would see what could be done in that direction. Ho pointed out, however, that in framing the new timetaole he had endeavored to .give effect to expressed -wishes from the Wellington, Taranaki, Wairarapa, and Hawke's Bay! districts, and the complaints so far had been very few. In such a rearrangement some places must suffer inconvenience. He hoped to he able to do something to meet their wishes, to the extent, perhaps of making the train arrive at New Plymouth between B.:iu and I) p.m., by decreasing the period of the stops at various places.