THE RAILWAY TIMETABLE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10037, 6 May 1910, Page 5

THE RAILWAY TIMETABLE.

MR A. W. HOGG URGES AMENDMENT. THE MINISTER'S REPLY.

In reply to a letter addressed some weeks ago bv Mr A. W. Hogg, M.P., to the Minister of Railways, urging an amendment of the WelhngtcnVvairarapa railway timetable, the Minister states that after carefully (in kii'g into the matter he regrets ti at ho cannot see his way to make any alterations or additions. He submits that it is extremely difficult to frame a timetable that will suit each individual town, and st the samt3 time meet the requirements of the Dominion generally. The discontinuance of the early morning train from Wellington is justified because it seldom had any passengers beyond Petone until it reached Featherston, and the numbei of passengers who made use of it beyond that point was altogether insufficient to warrant its continuance. As regards the delivery [of letters and mails, whereas under the former timetable they reached Masterton at 10 a.m., letters, etc., from Cross' Craek and north of there now reach Masterton at 7.25 a.m., and from stations between Wellington and Cross Creek at 11.6 a.m. 'J he early mornine train from Cross Creek to Palmerston North, which replaced the 6.30 J?.m. train from Masterton to Woodville, was put on to meet the requirements of the South Wairarapa people, and to enable them to get to Palmerston North and back in one day from stations as far south as Featherston.

"This train," continues the Minister, "in addition to meeting the convenience of passengers, is a very useful one for the conveyance of goods, and if it were taken off additional goods trains would have to be run. Similarly, the train leaving Palmerston North at 7 a.m. was put on to meet the requirements of people in the Hawke's Bay and Wairarapa districts who desire to travel to Featherston on the one side and Napier on the other,and return on the samw day. The train that formerly left Woodville at 6.10 a.m. was practically a goods train, and the passenger traffic by it was almost infinitessimal." The Minister adds: —"I may say that comparison of the passenger traffic in the Wairarapa district for j four periods of this year shows a considerable increase over the passenger traffic for the corresponding period of the previous year, anil would indicate that the alterations in the time-table have not prejudicially affected the passenger traffic As already staied, I have carefully considered the matter, but regret that at the present time I cannot see my way to adopt your suggestions. You may rely, however, on the fact that the Department will carefully watch the traffic and your representations will be borne in mind in the event, of the business increasing to lan extent sufficient to justify the Department re-arranging the timetable."