A RAILWAY MATTER.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3114, 12 February 1909, Page 5

A RAILWAY MATTER.

WAIRARAPA-MAIN TRUNK SERVICE. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MOVES.

A special meeting of the Masterton Chamber of Commerce was held yesterday morning to consider the question of an alteration in the railway time-table on the Wairarapa line, thus securing a more convenient connection at Palmerston North with the through mail train to Auckland. The chair was occupied by Mr G. C. Summerell, and there .vere also present Messrs J. D. Cruickshank, J. B. Moodie, J. C. Ewintgon, F. W. Carey, A. Henderson, C. E. Daniel], and D. Donald. Some correspondence between the Chamber of Commerce and the Railway Department on the subject was read by the Secretary. It was explained in this that under th 3 present time-table the express left the Woodville station twenty 1. inutes previous to the arrival of the Wel-lington-Napier train. The Hon. A. W. Hogg wrote stating that he had brought the matter of an alteration in the time-table of the Wairarapa mail train under the notice of the Minister of Railways. A perusal of the present timetable showed that the northward exp-ess from Masterton, leaving at 11.55 a.m., arrived at Palmerston North at 3.45 p.m., twenty minutes after the departure of the Auckland express. In order to connect throvgh to the Main Trunk express, passengers would have to leave Masterton by the slow train leaving at 10 a.rr., and which takes five hours to reach Palmerston North. Then, again, the Wairarapa train leaves Palmerston North at 12 noon, fifty-five minutes before the arrival of the Auckland express, which meant that Wairarapa passengers and mails from Auckland ' had to remain in Palmerston North • until 5.10 p.m., and did not reach Masterton until 10 p.m. The question of an alteration in the time-tables was exhaustively discussed, and on the motion of the Chairman, the following resolution was adopted:—"That the attention of the Minister of Railways he directed to the fact that the Weill; g-ton-Napier mail irain arrives at Woodville twenty-five minutes after the train to connect with the Auek- ; lai.d service, and thai he be asked > that this train be made to connect with that leaving Palmerston North; . and that it be pointed out that by the present arrangement correspondence ' is delayed for a day and passengers•" spend two hours longer than is r necessary between Masterton and Palmerston North." It was also resolved, on the motion of the Chairman, seconder! by Mr Cruickshank, that the Carterton, Feitherston, Eketahuna rnd Pahiatua Chambers of Commerce be written to; with the request that they will take action in advocating the alteration of the time-table, as indicated.

THE MINISTER FOR LABOUR APPROACHED.

WELLINGTON-WAIRARAPA SERVICE ALSO REFERRED TO.

Latar in the day a deputation, '■<r-r, n osFd of the President of the ' Chamber of Commerce( Mr Summeren* a-.io Messrs C. E. Daniel], J. B. Moodie find the Secretary (Mr J. C. R<yWin"-ton). wqiire'' uaon the Minister for Labour and Customs (the Hon. A. W. H(gg), and brought under his notice the above matter. Mr Summerell stated that the Chamber was anxious that Mr Hogg should use his endeavours to remedy the defects in the railway time-table set out in the resolution of the Council, and that if the matter were given ■ attention to. it would be of great importance to the people of the Wairarapa. Other membera of the deputation endorsed the President's remarks. Mr C. E. Daniell also brought up the matter of improving the Waira-rapa-Wellington passenger service in connection with the early morning train. Mr Daniell stated that if this service were amended to allow of only the chief stations being stopped at after Upper Hutt was reached, quite half an hour would be saved in. the journey. Mr Daniell also urged : that the speed of the train from , Palmerston North arriving at Masterton at 10 o'clock at night be accelerated, as it was thought that ! fully half an hour might also be saved on this journey. (In regard to the former matter the Chamber some time ago discu«sad it fully and agreed to make representations to the Department concerning it, white in regard to the latter the carriers and cab-drivers at Masterton recently forwardtd a deputation to the Chamber on the subject). Mr Hogg, in reply, stated that be would bring the matters adduced under the notice of the Minister of Railways. In the oast, the speaker had been very successful in regard to the Chamber's requests, and he thought that in the present instance fie would" be able to achieve some tangible result. The deputation thanked the Minis~ ter and withdrew.