SPEEDING MAIL TRAIN.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 September 1922, Page 2

SPEEDING MAIL TRAIN.

MOVE BY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, DISCUSSION AT STRATFORD. (From Our Own Correspondent.) The question of speeding up the mail train between New Plymouth and Wellington was discussed by the Stratford Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday night. In answer to the chamber’s request opinions on the subject were received from the various chambers in Taranaki, the Taranaki Chamber asking for co-operation in an endeavor to have an improvement effected. The Kapohga and district Chamber of Commerce wrote stating that it approved of the proposal to speed up the mail train service by taking advantage of the larger locomotives now in use and by eliminating the stops at a number of smaller wayside stations, especially those below Marton. The Eitham Chamber wrote stating that the matter would have consideration. It was hardly conceivable that the management of the railways • would alter the service so aS not to connect with the steamers at New Plymouth. The chamber was prepared to take joint or separate action in the matter. The Waitara Chamber also stated that it was supporting the Taranaki Chamber in their endeavor to speed up the service. Mr. Thomson pointed out that the Minister had stated that any proposal to speed up the service was met by protests from those, towns which it would be necessary to cut out as stops. Stratford would have to be satisfied not to use the mail train for the convenience of school children. An express train should not be made subservient to the convenience of children attending the schools. The president said that south of Stratford it was fairly convenient for passengers to catch the train, but northward to New Plymouth it would be absolutely necessary to run a local train to pick up passengers at the small stations and convey them to a station where the mail would stop. In this manner it would not be necessary to make the mail train timetable subservient to the needs of school children. Passengers at the small station had just as much right to the use of the mail as those at the large stations and they should not be forced to use motor cars or walk.

Mr. Macalister said he thought the Kaponga Chamber was on the right lines in suggesting that a great deal of time could be saved between Marton and Wellington by cutting out the small stops there. If a deputation from the chambers went to Wellington as suggested it should make a strong point of this. On the motion of the president it was decided to inform the Taranaki Chamber that the Stratford Chamber would be pleased to co-operate with them in an endeavor to have the mail train service speeded up.