MASTERTON-WOODVILLE RAILWAY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2272, 16 April 1886, Page 2

MASTERTON-WOODVILLE RAILWAY.

o— We insert a full reportfromtheEvening Press of the deputation to the Minister of Public Works, the result of which we published in our .yesterday's issue A deputation-consisting of Messrs. G, Beetham, W. C. Buchanan, C. J. Johnston, and Dr Newman, M.H.R,'s, waited on the Minister ot Public Works (Hon Mr Richardson), to bring under his notice several matters relating to railway extension and the working of the Welling-ton-Masterton line. , THE MASmTON-WOODVttta LINE. Mr Beetham first brought under the Minister's attention the 'desirableness of completing the railway between Mauriceville and Eketahuna. He said it was felt that it would be necessary to do this in order to make the rest of the line pay. The Minister said the Government did not propose to open the line beyond Mauriceville at present, although there were three miles of railway constructed beyond that terminus, but they intended to lay the permanent way right up to tho end, so that it. might be gone on with rapidly if Parliament placed them in a position to do so.

_ Mr Beetham had no doubt about Parliament if the vote were put on the estimates. The Minister thought the experiences of last Bession pointed to the reverse. However, they now had a survey party laying out the line from : Woodville to Eketahuna to meet the other line, Dr Newman considered it would bo better to extend the line to Eketahuna than bring it down from Woodville. In the neighborhood of Eketahuna there about 20,000 acres of land taken up for special settlement, and there would be a good deal of traffic to Eketahuna. Mr Beetham pointed out that if the settlers were assured the lino would, be extended in this direction, they would doubtless occupy the Puketoi ranges. Mr Buchanan submitted that until tho Gorge connection was madejthe proposed extension km Woodville' southward would prove of very little use. After further remarks of a conversational character, the Minister stated that the Government were pressing on the survey of the lino to which he had alluded. They started.with the surveys at the upper end because tho Land Department pressed them to do so on account of the large settlements they were laying out there. I This was the only reason. IHEBOLLIKG SIOOK ON IHE MASIERION UNB. ; Dr Newman said the deputation also wished to direct the Minister's attention to the rolling stock on the WelhngtoßMasterton line, and on behalf of the travelling public he asked the-Govern-ment to give them better carriages, like those on the Manawatu line. ■ ■ . , The Minister enquired what wai tho objection to the carriages on the Hutt line. ' ' Dr Newman replied that they were not nearly so comfortable as those on the Manawatu line. Moreover they were not sufficiently lighted. The Minister stated that the Government had had carriages made for this line and they would be here in the course of a few days,.and in these they would have cross seats. For Jlis part, on a long journey, he infinitely preferred the long-seated carriages.

Mr Buchanan, as one who travelled much on this line, bote testimony to the complaints about the wretched lights, Dv Newman said the travelling publio were very anxioup to have carriages like those on the Manawatu line, r ; The Minister: fhey are anxious to

— » r __ I jgg*, have them because 1 they are a hew pllijM , thing on this Manawatu line, '■''' ■ •..'.' Mr Johnson : They are making a very. practical plaything of them \ The Minister said he considered iti}. carriages the Government were.obtaining", a great improvementon those used'on thtfV; Manawatu line, and he was hot sneaking without his book in saying this. :' ;. • THE TIME-TABUS. ' Mr Buchanan said there was no doubt that a great deal of time was at pres(m v wasted in stoppages on the line to MasfclTii ton. The passengers did not ask;that speed should be accelerated, but they" wished the time-table examined, with .aview to economising time. The goods train had reduced' the: shunting tf<'i»;. minimum, ' " • '' %ri' The Minister replied that a new timetable was being drawn up at the present moment, this being necessitated by th» extention to Mauriceville. OPENIKO OF THE LINE TO JUraiCEVILIB;'. Mr Beetham enquired when the lini would be opened as far as Mauriceville.' The Minister said this entirely depend* on the weather. A wet day..might put the works back for two or three dayi more. ■ Practically, the line would be finished at the end of thiß niontL ;It.' might bo a couple of, weeks or so after-' wards.beforeitwasreadyto be opened. He had told another deputation, a short ; time ago that it would be opened during • the first week in May, but ho now thought, ■[ it would be tho second week;.in tht£y .month. He could not actually: fix tttJ CATTLE-TRUCKS, '' Dr Newman said there was' one other' ! matter the deputation wished to refer to ( '■. and that was in reference to the cattle 1 -'' ;tructs, the present ones boing found very inconvenient. ' C.':• -U The Minister said the Government had been introducing a lot of new sheep-trucka ' lately, but there was a great diversity of opinion with regard to such trucks. : ':''' • ■ • The deputation afterward withdrew.