THE RAILWAY TIME-TABLE. Public meeting at Hamilton.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1897, 2 September 1884, Page 2

THE RAILWAY TIME-TABLE. Public meeting at Hamilton.

A! public meeting of the residents of Hamilton and neighbourhood convened by the mayor wa« held at the Public Hall, Hamilton, on Satiuday afternoon, to consider the proposed alterations in the railway time-table. There were only about 20 people present, most of the business men being unable to attend a meeting atthat liottr of the day! Apologies were sent by Messis Le Q.iesne, Kno.\, and others. Tlie meeting was, however, a very representatne one. The mayor occupied the chair and opened the pro ceedings by load'ng the lcquisition calling the meet ing. He also read a telegram he had received from Mr Like, on the sth of August, a-ikiu.' for Ins opinion in regard to the time-table. He (the mayor) had replied to this on his own responsibility that the borough was opposed to the change. Mr Isaac Coa cs, iv moving the first resolution said one thing must strike them all as being reclicnlous, and that was the fact ot the only two trains to Waikato arriving within an hour of each other. The proposed alteration would do away with snch an anomaly as this, and would suit the people of the outside districts equally with those of Hamilton. Under the proposed time-table it would be possible to get goods, such as portions of machinery, &c, up the day they were ordered, and this was a fact which farmers should not overlook. Besides this and many other advantages, they would be able to go to and return from Auckland in two days, whereas it now takes thiee. He begged to move the following resolution :— " That in the opinion of this meetiug the alteration in the railway timetable, proposed by the District Traffic Manager, will meet the wants of the majority of the settlers and residents of the Waikato district, and this meeting therefore respectfully requests the department to bung the proposed new timetable intoopeiation with the least possible delay/ Mr Gaudin seconded the motion. He was convinced that the new time-table would be the best thing for tne whole of the dibtiiot, and if those iv Te \wamntu and other places who opposed the change would only give a little consuleiation they would be in favour of it. It would render communication between the different places along tne line possible, which was not the case at present except at great sacrifice of time. They were cut oft from daily communication with that portion of the world lying north of Ngaruawahia. He was confident that the new time-table would suit the majoiity of the settleis. Capt. McPherson moved, as an amendment, "That the proposed new timetable would be detrimental to the interests of the settlers of Waikato.'' He contended that no good arguments in favour of the change had yet been brought forward. So far as he was concerned the advantage of beiug able to do the journey to Auckland in two days would be as 311 to two. The two days saved to him in the course of a year would not compensate for his having to wait longer for his mails every other day. He objected to Mr Gaudin's remarks about the settleis of Te Awamutu. Meetings had been huldtn the up-countiy districts, and resolutions condemning the new time-table passed. He considered mails were of more importance than th 2 tiavelliug public. If they wijhed to ilo the journey in two days they should ayitate to get a train leaving Te Awamutu and Cambudge, afc 6 a.m., and arriving at Auckland at noon. The new time table would be a serious disadvantage to him, because waiting for his daily mail would make him late for dinner. Mr Yon Stunner seconded the amendment. Mr H. Metcalfe said be took a great interest in this question, and he had come to the conclusion that the intprests of the district as a whole would be well served by the new time-tablo. A new traflic manager had come on the scone, and directly he makes an attempt to improve the service he is sat upon by a few people in the out districts. A laige propoition of those south, and the whole of those living north of Hamilton were entirely in favour of the new time-table. A petition got up at Huntly had received 90 signatures, and at a largely attended meeting held afc that place the pievious night the meeting was unanimous in favour of the change. It seemed to him that the people wiio used the line wanted the new time-table, while those who were not patrons of the line were opposed to it. Dr lJ<*ale, speaking as one who used the railway very largely, condemned the present time-table. He had often been put togieat inconvenience ingoing hisprofessionat lounds thiough being obliged to remain all night at places down the line. From personal experience and from having gathered the opinions of those who used the line he could endorse all that Mr Metcalfe had said. He held in his hand a petition signed by fifty residents of all pirts fr the district, including Piako. Raglan, Matamatn, Tamahere and other places, in favour of the new timetable. On being pufc to the meeting three \ oted for the amendment, and 13 for the motion. On the motion of Mr Me'cilfe, the Mayor was requested to forward the resolution to the Traffic Manager. A vote of thanks to the major concluded the meeting.