WAIRARAPA TRAIN SERVICE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10153, 1 February 1911, Page 5

WAIRARAPA TRAIN SERVICE.

DEPUTATION TO THE TER."I'LL GIVE YOU SOMETHING!" (By Our Special Reporter.) A deputation consisting of, Messrs F. W. Carey (Chairman of the Masterton Chamber of Commerce), J. M. Coradine (Mayor of Masterton), and D. P. Lpasby (Mayor of Greytown), waited upon the Minister for Railways (the Hon. J. A. Millar) at 11.30 yesterday morning, to present the resolutions passed at the conference recently held in Masterton... The deputation was accompanied by Messrs A. W. Hogg, W. C.;Buchanan, and R. B. Ross, M'sP.

INTRODUCED BY MR HOGG. :; Hr A. W. Hogg,: M.P'; I ,",in' intro- :. during the deputation, said that the \ promise made that r the morning train leaving .Masterton at 6.30 for ' northern, stations would be resumed had given general satisfaction, and-; the. alteration was eagerly looked forward to, What was also required was that the early train from Woodville to Wellington, via, Waira- , rapa should leave, so as to reach Masterton about, '9.30 This would:;enable and business V people',;":at;; "■ . Maurioeyillej ;and transact" Masterton; and ; "return ; home by .tfi£& :; . ; i; ;■■ losing:; only the fpr;enoon' instead of being: detained till i late ; at ; The !; slight alterations. referred'; to would' ■ enable passengers Irom} the Waira-f ' Tapa to catch the Palmerston \ North ; express reaching : Wanganui at '-'■: 3;:■ \ : p.m. arid r»ew: Plymouth at,7 p.m.,, 'l ' ; •'. instead; of , arriviriglat Wangamiilate at nighty; and being .unable; to New Plymouth in one day. It would also enable the families of residents in a closely-settled district with numerous primary schools to attend the District High Schools without being compelled to • reside away from home, which few of them could afford. The early mixed train leaving Wellington for, the Wairarapa before 5 a.m. was of great importance particularly to settlers' in the Lower Valley, Featherston, Pig. eon Bush, Greytown ough, vIA this train, should be' rein-. stated, either as formerly or as simply a "goods train. If the Auckland express arriving now at Palmer- . aton at 12.30 .could be timed to arrive half an hour earlier;' passengers for the Wairarapa would be able to connect at Woodville with the Nap-ier-Wellington train, and arrive at their destination six hours earlier than at present.'

THE DEPUTATION SPEAKS. Mr F. W. Carey, speaking on behalf of the deputation, stated, m .no first place, that owing to there being no -connection with the 4 Main Trunk | railway and the afternoon train from i Woodville, passenger for the Wairarapa had to remain about five hours in Palmerston North. The deputation desired that .-.the train leaving Mastexton^mrtha'early .morning should leave earlier, and'that the departures from Wellington "in the afternoon should be hter than at present, so that Wairarapa passen- , gers would be given a longer stay 1 in the Empire City. At tho present time they were given only about two hours in which to transact their business in Wellington. They also sug--1 gested to the minister that a nonstop train,be run between Wellington and the Upper 'Hutt, in connection with the Wairarapa service. This would mean a considerable saving of time. .The delegates from the northern end of the dstrict were desirous that tho morning train should start at some station north of Masterton and return there in the evening, so that Bush settlers could come to Wellington and return to their homes in the one day. The present early morning train from Woodville arrived in Masterton .too' late. It l was suggested that tips should leave earlier, go that it would arrive, in Masterton at, say, 9.30. This would enable children to attend the High School-and alco permit country settlers to transact their business and return by the mid-day train. At present the settlers were using the road instead of the trainMr Carey pointed out tnat the auctioneers of Masterton would .shortly be holding a combined sale at Solway, which would probably start "at 11 or 11.30 in the morning. Settlers from the north would therefore require to come to Masterton at an earlier hour than at present. The conference in Masterton had been unanimous in the request that the 4.45 a.m. train from Wellington should be l-esiored. Hon. J. A. Millar: Do' you know what it would costP Mr Carey: Ido not. Probably the Department knows that. Hon. Mr Millar : I will tell you, later. Mr Carey, proceeding, said that tho train was most urgently required. It should be one of the most payable trains on the section. If it was thought that this train would clash with the train at present leaving Wellington at 10.15, it wrfs suggested' that the latter train be done away with. The eatly train from Wellington would suit all purposes. It had been suggested that the present train leaving Cross' Creek in'.the niornng depart at an earlier hour, but this service should not be considered against that from Wellington. In conclusion, Mr Carey •stated -that the Wairarapa was not making a fuss without cause. ; It had a genuine grievance, and came to the Minister for redress. They wanted a 6.30 a.m. tram fr6m Masterton for the North, an earlier train : for Wellington, an mriser train from , Woodville to Masterton, and the 4.45 a-tn. • train from Wellington, v ■ Mr J., M. Coradine ; (Mayor,,, of ~ Masterton) expressed the opinion, that the present WnirarapaJ train service was'■ altogether inadequate.

The business men of the district, though not experts, knew the service which was best for their requirements. They suggested some arrangement which would be to the advantage of the district, and of the Department. The present arrangement did not enable the settlers to make the best use of the train service. It might be suggested that some of the proposals made would not pay. But, he suggested that any line .could be made not to pay if it was run at a disadvantage. There was an unanimous demand for the 6.30 a.m. train from Masterton for the north. He did not think it would be held that this train would not pay. They also wanted the 4.45 a.m. train from Wellington. It was true that the Wairarapa suffered a disability through 'being the other side of the Rimutaka incline. He did not see any reason, however, why the Wairarapa should be made to suffer on this account. The Wairarapa people did not put the Rimutaka railway where it was, and they should not be penalised on account of the extra cost of traffic over the hill. Under the old time-table they had a very good service. Hon. J. A. Miliar: But we had not the Main Trunk railway then. Mr Coradine did not think the Wairarapa should be made to suffer on account of the Main Trunk railway or the incline. The .present service was inadequate and inconvenient..

Mr D. P. Loasby (Mayor of Greytown) .said the deputation,was not asking for an increase in the number of trains; but merely for a rearrangement of the time-table. The whole district was strongly in favour of the 4.45 a.m. train from Wellington. As laymen they, suggested that it was quite possible to substitute the present 10.15 a.m. train form Wellington with the 4.45 a.m. train. He quite realised that they might not be able to retain the early morning train from Cross' Creek. They were however, willing to sacrifice this for the early train from Wellington. Farmers were not, at present, able io get their .stock to market as they desired.

MR BUCHANAN, M.P. Mr W. C'Buchanan, MIP., stated that* it was very urgent that people v should be given a longer stay, in Wellington than at present. He strongly emphasised the unanimous desire, also, that the 4.45 a.m. train from Wellington should he restored* He urged, further, that Lower Valley people should he given an opportunity of connecting at Palmerstou with the New Plymouth train by the Cross' Creek train being started at an early hour in the morning. < Hon. J. A. Millar: The train from Cross 1 Creek to Masterton only carries, on an average, three passengers a day. Mr Buchanan stated that, while he wished to conserve the interests of the; Lower Valley in the matter of the Wanganui connection, he did hot wish 'that'this.should'.interfere with the 4.45 a.m.- train from Wellington, which was urgently required. MBHOSS.M.P.

Mr R. B. Rossi MP., stated that ho did not.form one of the deputation, and although he accompanied it, it did not follow that he endorsed all its representations. It seemed to J him that the deputation had-represen-ted, the views of Mastertan and. the Lower Valley, instead of those of the Wairarapa district as a whole. What was wanted by the representatives of the people was a service which would suit the whole of the Wairarapa, independent of Wellington. As a sort of cross between a railway officer and a representative of the people, he felt that the Minister would be left in a quandary as to really what the Wairarapa wanted. He had therefore prepared a time-table (similar to that he had previously submitted), which he handed to the Minister. This would affect fourteen trains, and did not deal with the service on the Wellington side of the Rimutaka, which the Department could easily arrange. The Minister might think that business would not warrant the extra serrice,' or that they could more economically conduct their traffic over the Manawatu Line. He urged that the latter point should not weigh too strongly with, the Minister. It was not the fault of the district that the Rimutaka railway was where it was. He knew that/ there was a feeling that traffic should pass over the lesser grades, with a view to minimising the cost. Before penalising the district, he asked that the Minister should consult his colleague, the Minister for Public Works, and urge upon him the necessity for deviating the Rimutaka railway. In the meantime, tho old time-table should be resorted to. Had it not been for the bush fires this season, a large deputation of farmers from the Bush district would have been present.

THE MINISTER IN REPLY. The Minister, in reply, said he was pleased to meet the deputation and to hear their representations. He had specially asked the General Manager and Traffic Superintendent to be present. At the close of the session he had given instructions that the matter of the Wairarapa time-table be gone into, with a view to affecting some improvement, if possible. He had said hi'the House that he was quite willing that the morning train from Masterton should start at G. 30 o'clock, but this was only on condition that the early train from Cross'

Creek was discontinued. He pointed out that the Wairarapa was now a settled district. It did not appear, ■ from the railway returns, that the trade of the Wairarapa was increasing to any great or abnormal extent. He admitted that it was increasing, but only in a relative proportion to the development of the district. The Rimutaka railway had to be run at the lowest possible cost. It paid to haul goods from Eketahuna to Woodville, and over the Manawatu line, rather than convey thorn over Rimutaka. He would not be acting in the interests of the Dominion 'if ho did ' other than haul the goods at the cheapest cost. They could not continue traffic on the Wairarapa. line which logically and economically should go over the Manawatu. If the concessions asked for wore granted, it would mean an addition of 75,000 miles per year to their haulage. At 5s per mile, they would see that this would mean. He was not prepared to look at such a thing. He had a return prepared, which showed that the passenger traffic between Te Aro and Woodville last year amounted to £IOO,OOO. Of this amount, £65,000 belonged to suburban traffic, so that the traffic on the Wairarapa line was only £35,000. This was not a very large amount. Mr Ross: , Have you compared it with the Manawatu?

The Minister replied that hj& had not. He would go into the request of the deputation, and endeavour to meet them as far as possible. When the early morning train was run from Wellington, the whole of the traffic went over the Rimutaka. The 10.15 a.m. train was now found to meet all requirements. It enabled the Gear Meat Company to detrain its stock by daylight. This aspect of the question must be considered. The 4.45 a.m. train would only be a convenience for newspapers and mails. They could not run both trains. He held out not the slightest hope for the 4.45 a.m. train. He was not prepared to give away £IB,OOO per year for the convenience of newspapers and mails. He would go carefully into the other requests made, and see what could be done. Inquiries had been made as to the practicability of the time-table submitted by Mr Ross, M.P., in the House. It I 'was found that this would mean an increase of 900 miles per week in mileage, and an increase in the costpf haulage of £13,200 per year. He could not, and would not, make the concession. He was prepared, when public requirements necessitated it, to run trains at a loss; but he was not prepared to run trains to enable a few people to go to and from their business. From the tone of the deputation, it would seem thatj. they were quite prepared to sacrifice., the Hawke's Bay service for a local service. (Cries of "No, no.") There was some talk of the Auckland timetable being slightly altered. They had to run their trains to suit the best connection! It had been suggested that the Auckland; mail train leave at 8 p.m. instead 0f.9 p.m. {

Mr Buchanan stated that this would suit the Wairarapa people. It would; enable therii to make a connection with the train from Hawke's Bay. He (Mr Buchanan) doubted that the 10.15 a.m. train from Wellington was convenient for the trucking of sheep, as the Minister had suggested. The 4.45 a.m. train would be much: more convenient. The Wellington Meat Export Company detrained its stock by electric light. Mr Hogg said that he did not attach much importance to* the conveyance of stock and goods. He was timself concerned about the hu:nan stock, the farmers and their childf ren. •„ . . ■ . .■'

• The Minister si<ate.d that only 28 High School children had been affected by the change in trains. Mr Ross stated that , the figures quoted by the Minister in regard to the extn cost of his proposed train service were incorrect. , The extra mileage would not be more than /i.O per week. ■;••. '

Mr Buchanan asked if the public could not be carried .as cheaply ami well by the,4.45 a.m. train from Wellington as by the 10.15 a.m. The Minister replied that it could not. '*■'.:'

Mr Loasby: Is the convenience i.f the Wairarapa to be considered or that of the Gear Company? Mr Hogg: My trouble is about tlic human stock.

Mr Buchanan hoped the Minister could give them sontething! Hon J. A. Millar: I will give yon something. I cannot say hist now what it will be. The new time-r.a!>!e is being prepared, and will be ready in about a week.

The deputation then thanked the Minister for his courteous reception and withdrew. '