THE RAILWAYS.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 May 1921, Page 5

THE RAILWAYS.

BETTER SERVICE WANTED, EXPANSION OF THE PROVINCE. PLEA FOR FASTER TRAINS. A request on behalf of Taranaki for improved facilities in connection with the train services was placed before tlie General Manager of Railways (Mr. R. W. McVilly) by a large and representative deputation which waited on him at New Plymouth last night. in bespeaking a considerate hearing for the deputation, Mr. S. G. Smith, M.P., expressed confidence that the facts which they would present would impress the General Manager with the necessity for meeting the demands. The Mayor (Mr. F. E. Wilson), in welcoming Mr. McVilly, said he hoped that the General Manager would fully appreciate the local viewpoint. They knew that there were many demands on the department arising from the progress of the country, and especially of the North Island. He desired to emphasise, what the department’s own records must show, namely that this part of the Dominion was by no means the least progressive.

The president of the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce (Mr. E. P. Webster), said that the gathering was one of the most representative meetings which had been held for a considerable time. Mr. Webster said he would endeavor to show Mr. McVilly the progress Taranaki had made during the last few years, and to point out that the railway services the people of the province enjoyed to-day were the same as were in vogue fifteen years ago. He had been told that two of the trains which went out of New Plymouth at the present time were as slow as they were 40 years ago. Whether this was so he was not sure, but he believed that it was about correct. The question of extensions to NeW Plymouth goods sheds was of the most, urgent nature. The growth of the province had been abnormal, especially in the last few years, and the population figures of the last census showed a very substantial increase on the previous ones. GROWTH OF THE CAPITAL. Mr. Webster proceeded to deal with the growth of a number of institutions, including Government departments, and quoted statistics (which are referred to elsewhere) in support of his contention. All, he said, tended to show that the province was an important one. Referring to New Plymouth, he said that the growth of the town of late years had been phenomenal, last census showing an increase in population of 3000. The total was now over 11,000, and the proportion of growth was greater than in any other town in the Dominion, except Hamilton. A number of Government departments were now taking a keen interest in the town, and this was illustrated in several directions. The State Fire Office, owing to lack of accommodation in the present quarters, had purchased a property, and it was* the intention of the department to erect a handsome building. The State Life branch had made its Taranaki headquarters in New Plymouth, while a new and up -to - date building for the Public Trust was in course of erection. These departments evidently saw a big future ahead of New Plymouth. The town had also been very fortunate in its municipal undertakings, and stood out as one of the best managed boroughs in New Zealand.

A notable feature was the hydroelectric works, from which it was hoped to develop 9000 horse power, and this would compare favorably with the Lake Coleridge output. Preparations to supply current to a neighbouring town were well under way, and it was hoped in the near future that most of Taranaki would be lighted from the power station just out of New Plymouth. There were other institutions in the town which had been a force for the general improvement, and as an educational centre it was becoming prominent. High School stood nearly first in the rank o-f secondary schools in the Dominion, and had a very fine record both in scholastic and other spheres. As evidence of the growth of the school, Mr. Webster stated that a few years ago the total roll number was under 100, and this year was over 400, of which 200 were boarders. That the school was a popular one was proved by the fact that about double the pupils were offering for the boarding establishment, but they could not be taken owing to lack of accommodation. OVERSEAS TRADE. A renqarkable feature had been the growth of the port of New Plymouth during the last few years, and the expansion of trade in recent months had been wonderful. Ships had been calling as quickly as they could be taken at the wharf. The overseas shipping companies were taking an active and live interest in the port, and five lines were trading to New Plymouth, and another one had announced its intention of making New Plymouth a call for its boats trading from the west coast of England. He quoted figures in relation to the volume of trade and the value of Taranaki exports, which he said would be an indication to the Railway Department of the extraordinary traffic which would require to be dealt with. For this reason it was necessary to take an earnest view of the whole position.

Mr. T. C. List said that, on behalf of the province he desired to indicate the people’s entire dissatisfaction with the mail service between New Plymouth and Wellington, and to request that the service be improved in many directions. He thought they were entitled to several improvements, and that they would be able to show that the distract was worse off than any other part of New Zealand in the matter of express services. In regard to speed, they were much behind, for an express. On the Auckland—-Wel-lington run the times for the two trains were 23.66 and 24 miles per hoilr respectively; for lUhristchurch—Dunedin, 25.55 and 27.87 miles per Jiouy, while the New Plymouth—-Wellingtoh train averaged only 21.61 miles. In , addition to this fault there were too myiny stopping places, ahd for some paifts of the district the express served als/o as a local train. The Auckland—lVellington train had only nine stoppages, or one per 47 1-3 miles (second, express, 12 stops; average, 351-3 in the Christchurch—Dunedin run t'jhere were eignt stops, or one in 28f mires; while on the New jour-

ney 24 stoppages occurred, which was one for every 10J miles; including flag stations it would be 37 Stops —an average of one in every seven miles. Instead of this it should 'be made an express in the real sense of the word.

UNCOMFORTABLE TRAINS. The carriages < n the route were not what they should be. as they were inconvenient and uncomfortable. Particularly was this the case with the secondclass accommodation/ The carriages on the trains were obsolete, probably having done duty twenty or thirty years ago. He proceeded to state that it was only a few days ago that foot-warmers had been placed in the carriages. The sanitary arrangements also left much to be desired, and were often in a most disgraceful state. The New Plymouth—• Wellington train contrasted strikingly with the Main Trunk and Southern expresses, in which travelling could be done in comfort. There was no reason why the New Plymouth line, which was a very important one, should not be treated similarly. During the war the public had put up with the discomforts, but now hoped for an improvement, There were often insufficient carriages, which resulted in passengers being compelled to stand, and a better type of engine, with more power, was also desirable.

In regard to local services, Mr. List said these were a matter of vital concern to the province. Besides being absolutely inadequate, the local trains were not as efficient and as convenient as they were twenty years ago, notwithstanding that the province was a prosperous one, and that the service, he understood, was a most profitable one to the department. During the last twenty years Taranaki had been kept back by its poor railway system, a great deal of the traffic having been thrown on the roads. People would not use the trains; for business men it was impossible to do so, and. they had to use the motor car as a means of conveyance. This should not be, and if the department provided facilities there was no doubt that they would get the business.

TIME-TABLE IMPROVEMENTS. Taranaki was a most prosperous part of New Zealand; yet what did they have? From New Plymouth there were four trains out and four trains in daily. This was not quite fair to the province, compared with other centres. Napier had nine trains out and nine in daily; also three more on Fridays and Saturdays. At Greymouth (which could not. be compared in importance with New Plymouth) there were six trains out to Reefton and seven to Hokitika. Wanganui had nine trains both inward and outward daily. As far as Taranaki was concerned, however, they were not going to ask. for more trains, but that the existing service be improved. A number of suggestions in regard to alteration of time-table were made by Mr. List. It was proposed that the train leaving Hawera at 7.25 a.m. daily for New 'Plymouth should start at 7 o’clock, and be speeded up so as to arrive in New Plymouth at 10 o’clock; this was allowing three hours for the 48 miles. The present hour of arrival (10.50) prevented country people from doing their business and returning by the next train. It was a cause of disability for the Technical School pupils, who got in late and did not receive the benefit of their course. The second amendment desired was in respect of the midday train (leaving Hawera at 12.45), which took five hours to reach New Plymouth —a speed of just over nine miles per hour. The train stopped at Stratford for an hour, which, from the passengers’ point of View, was practically useless. If it could reach New Plymouth at 3.55, passengers would then have time to transact business in town the same afternoon and be able to return by the mail train next morning. In connection with trains from New Plymouth to Hawera, it was also desired that alterations be made in the timetable. One left New Plymouth at 11.50 a.m. and why the department fixed that hour was hard to realise, because if they had set. out to inflict an inconvenience on the public they could not have succeeded better. It departed just before the luneli hour, and did not reach Hawera till nearly 3.30 p.m. A more convenient time of leaving would be 12.50 p.m. (as it was' some years ao-o), and the train should be speeded up to do the trip in three hours. The hour of departure was all right in the ease of the train which left New Plymouth at 4.30, but it should also be accelerated in order to accomplish the journey in three hours. There was nothing new in the requests, and all the department was asked to do was to improve the existing time-table. _ They might also take into consideration the question of issuing week-end excursion tickets during the summer. New Plymouth was very popular as a seaside resort, and the concessions would no doubt be largely taken up by the people of the inland districts. The passengers could be carried on the local trains.

CONGESTION OF GOODS. Regarding goods shed accommodation at New Plymouth, Mr. McVilly had, no doubt, seen enough during his visit to satisfy him of the imperative need of making improvements in order to deal with the trade. During the last seven days nine thousand tons of cargo had been handled, and the development of the port was tending to greatly increase trade. Already fourteen liners had called at the port this year, and there were nine more expected in the near futuie. Bulk goods for Wanganui, such as phosphates, would probably be imported through New Plymouth and railed to their destination, would mean a large amount of ue'w business for the department, who,-tast be prepared to cope with it./" Appreciation was expressed, on .fcbhalf of the business men, of the efforts of the railway staff in carrying' out the work at New Uymoi’.th under considerable difficulty's. They were particularly fortunate in having a man such as Mr. O’Shea, in the capacity of stationmaster, as he, had smoothed over many troubles. Mr. List also associated the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce with the request for railway improvements at Hawera, where, he said, more facilities were desired He hoped that the department would give this their attention as soon as possible. In view of the fact that a good deal of exports from Waitara would go through New Plymouth, and that other trade would be forthcoming, the department was urged to put in another line of rails on the wharf. In connection with the handling of imports, more sidings were also necessary. The railways should be a big factor in the development of Taranaki, but so far the province had not received the ■help from this direction to which it was entitled. The passenger service m Taranaki was a most profitable one. Last year the number of people carried was 78,000, and this year it, was 94,000. The province was only one-third developed as yet. and its requirements would continue to grow, and the people looked

to the Railway Department with confidence to give the assistance desired as soon as possible. MR. McVILLY’S REPLY. In reply, Mr. McVilly said lie had listened to the speakers with a great deal of interest, and he desired to express r his thanks to them for the temperate manner in which they had put their ease. There were, of course, two sides to every question, and he desired, to assure them that the Railway Department was just as anxious to improve the facilities as the people were to have them. There were great difficulties which met the Department, however, and which did not appear on the_surface, The deputation naturally looked at the matter from the local point of view, but he had to take into consideration a broader aspect, though he did not want to offer this as an excuse. The Railway Department had to provide for the whole of the needs between Wellington and New Plymouth, and it would be readily understood that what would suit one part on the 250-mile route would not give universal satisfaction to the rest. In no part of the Dominion was the Department confronted with greater difficulties than it met in connection with the railway service between Palmerston North anU*'New Plymouth. On the New Plymouth-Wanganui section there were demands from Hawera, Inglewood, Eltham, Stratford, Patea and Wanganui, which had all been put before the Department just as strongly from their point of view as the case had been presented by the present deputation. The Department frequently tried to bring all these different views on a common ground in order to do the best for , everybody. On the one hand there might be an agitation from Stratford, where there was a High School, tliat the trains should be run in order to get the Children to school, and the same difficulty would probably be encountered with Hawera and likewise at Wanganui, Patea, and Palmerston. The aspect of the trains question as concerning school children was looked upon all oVer the country as the most important one, and when there were high schools 29 or 30 miles apart the railway- department was fix its time-table to get certain trahis to arrive in time to land scholars at school and to depart at a convenient time in the afternooji. In connection with the proposed alterations, Mr. McVilly mentioned that the stoppage of the train from Hawera at Stratford was done in order to suit school children, and the only alternative' was putting oil extra trains.

THE EXPRESS SERVICE. Coming to the points stressed by the deputation, Mr. McVilly first dealt with the question of the express service. He said the line was one of the most difficult ones in the Dominion in the matter of grades. Between New Plymouth and Wellington there were no less than 75 miles of steep grades and sharp curves, and the speed must be necessarily limited in Viejy of these. The engines were as powerful as any in the Dominion, with the exception of the Main Trunk, but in this matter there was also another difficulty. There were a number of bridges which would carry only a certain load, and it was impossible to do much to strengthen the structures at the present time. Even if they had the money the work could not |>e carried out. The •Department knew that the speed was not as fast as that on the Main Trunk. Stops, however, took 1 hour 58 minutes, and there 'was the fact that there were many short runs between stations. While the speed of 21 miles an hour was not high, to maintain this the train was frequently running at forty miles an hour. This, of course, could only be done on certain sections of the line. The only way an improvement could lie made wa\ by cutting out stops; this was one of the greatest difficulties the Department encounered, and every year it was opposing attempts to increase the number of stopping places on the other express runs. They would be very glad to cut out a lot of thesenstops, but it was a difficult problem, and one which rested entirely with the people of the district. In regard to volume of traffic, Mr. McVilly said he had had the figures taken out for the year ended April 30, 1921. These showed that there were 12,199 passengers J;o stations between New Plymouth and Stratford, the number booked to stations between Ngaere and Hawera was 5000, there were 1885 for stations between Mokoia and Wanganui, and for south of Wanganui there were 3150 passenger?. It could not, therefore, be regarded as a very material business so far as the long distance passenger traffic was concerned. Less than fifty per cent, of the business was for stations south of Stratford. Nevertheless, he would do what he could to improve matters. NEW’ HEATING SYSTEM. Dealing with the question of carriages, Mr. McVilly said, the foot-farmers had to be discontinued some time ago through shortage of c’bal, but had again been installed. By next winter he hoped that on this line all the carriages would be fitted with steam heaters—at any rate on the express. (Applause). Tit? plant had already been ordered, and it was expected originally to have it in time for this winter. The old type of carriages which had been referred to were evidently those with longitudinal seats, and he intended to have these altered when circumstances permitted. The deputation could be assured that the representations made on the various other matters would receive the earnest consideration of the Department, and if it was at all practicable to carry out any improvements they would be only .too pleased to do so. There were, however, a great many difficulties which did not appear till a proposition was gone into thoroughly. . Mr. Webster expressed thanks to Mr. McVilly for the straightforward reply made to the requests, and remarked that the fact of the General Manager’s visit to New Plymouth indicated that the requirements were receiving consideration. He felt sure that they would get some satisfaction as the result of the visit.

Mr. S. G. Smith, M.P., in commenting on the reference to the conveyance of school children, said that when Mr. McVilly looked into the proposals he would see that they did not tend to take away from any other centre anything that a particular town had already got. They were anxious that the three principal centres, Hawera, Stratford and New Plymouth, should all be on an equal footing. For many years Hawera and Stratford had had the privilege of a train service to suit the schools, but never in its history had New Plymouth experienced a similar advantage. Mr. List explained that the Chamber of Commerce did not desire to take from any of the other centres the train facilities for school children they now enjoyed. These could be retained, and at the same time the general local services improved. The pasfceager business now

done in Taranaki was no criterion of what could be done were the facilities provided—they made their own traffic, and the improvements proposed would result in profit to the Department, and benefit to the travelling public. Mr. McVilly said that in his remarks he did not intend to convey that New Plymouth was seeking any undue advantages, but merely mentioned the question as indicating some of their difficulties.