ALARM EXPRESSED

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20500, 17 May 1938, Page 8

ALARM EXPRESSED

MINISTER’S ATTITUDE ACCESS TO FRANKTON STATION CHAMBER OF COMMERCE DECISION Although the Minister of Railways, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, has stated that the Railway Department has been unable' to meet the applications made frequently by the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce to have a western access across the railway track to Frankton Junction Railway station, the Chamber decided last evening to pursue the' application still further in an effort to persuade the Minister to act in accordance with its desires. In a communication received from the Minister, at a meeting of the Chamber last evening, it was stated that on account of the risk of accident when pedestrians crossed the open railway track, it would not be advisable to have persons crossing the rails to the platform unless a member of the railway staff was in attendance. Mr Sullivan stated that the staff at Frankton Junction was not large enough to undertake such a duty at all times during the day. The Red Cap had been authorised to open the western gate and to escort passengers across the lines at such times as it was safe to do so. No Receiving Depot In answer to a further request from the Chamber that a receiving depot for luggage should be established at the western gate, the Minister said he had been informed that the amount of luggage handled at Frankton Junction would not warrant the expense of operating such a depot. Members of the Chamber expressed the opinion that there was a considerable volume of luggage handled at the station each day.

Mr H. D. Caro, the chairman, was of the opinion that the request for a luggage access from the western gate was asking for a reasonable facility only. He thought that unless the situation as at present was alleviated in the near future, the Railway Department would suffer. The following resolution was carried and it will be forwarded to the Minister and other interested parties, including the member for the' Hamilton electorate, Mr C. A. Barrell: “ That this Chamber views with alarm the attitude of the Minister of Railways with regard to the request for the provision of an access at the western gate and feels that the citizens of Hamilton and Frankton, who desire to use the railway both in regard to luggage and other facilities which are offered at all other big stations in the Dominion, are being adversely affected." Mr Caro mentioned that the Minister had previously promised to keep the western gate open but the facility had been available for a fortnight only.