MR WARD IN HAMILTON.

Waikato Argus, Volume IX, Issue 827, 11 December 1900, Page 2

MR WARD IN HAMILTON.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir.—ln readiug the accouut of the Hon. J. G. Ward's visit to Waikato, which appears iu your journal of to-day, I notice that Mr Ronayne, the General Mauager of the New Zealand Railways, in reply to a query from the Minister re the foundation of the permanent way betweeu Frankton Junction and Ohaupo is reported to have said that " the statement having reference to the same being unsafe for heavy traffic is news to the department, and the report a mere bogey." Such a reply should not be allowed to pass unnoticed since one has ouly to journey over the length in question seme morning after the Ohaupo sale when tho train is loaded, or some Monday afternoon when a heavy King Country train leaves Frankton to experience' sensations of anything but pleasantness. Last Wednesday morniug the passenger carriage so ro'jkcd that passengers were almost thrown from their ecats. Whenever there is a fairly long train crossing the swamp one needs only to look along the line of trucks and earring- s to observe the lateral oscillating and longitudinal undulating of the train, while the speed hardly exceeds six miles an hour, over an apparently level way, to feel satisfied that the report of "unsafety for heavy traffic" is something more than a " mere bogey." lam given to understand ou what is fairly sound authority that the Railway Departmeut (the local office at least) is in possession of facta concerning the permanent way between Hukuhia and Ohaupo which it is not expedient should be made known to the public. If I had been present at the deputation from the Hamilton Borough Council on Saturday afternoon, I certainly should have mentioned what is my experience of frequent travelling over that part of the line. I will take the opportunity of here stating that if Mr Ronayne is net in possession of reliable data concerning the foundation of tho permanent way mentioned, I trust since the matter has been laid before his department, he will intimately acquaint himself with the facts before - summarily disposing of it as a '' mere bogey ."—I am, etc, |J. A. Young. Hamilton, December 10th, 11100.