TRAINS TO THE SUBURBS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 123, 25 May 1923, Page 4

TRAINS TO THE SUBURBS.

■ 1 MORE FACILITIES WANTED. HIXTS TO THE PREMIER. A deputation from the Xorth.ru -üburan League, introduced _y the Hon, C. J. Parr, was received by the Prime Minister this forenoon. The spokesman. Mr. H. A. Robertson, brought forward a number of matters dealing with railway facilities. He -aid the league wanted workers' tickets available until !) a.m. instead of S a.m.. pointing out that many office girls were unable at present to avail themselves 0 f the cheap fares. He also urged an extension of the time limit of twelvetrip concession tickets to residents' wives, remarking that the wives had to go to town every day of the week to get the full benefit. The department was practically driving them out of their homes each day! A further complaint was that ordinary trains were nide tracked to give precedence to race trains. Regarding a better service from Mount Eden to Henderson, Mr. Robertson suggested an hourly service of small trains. It was also "asked that any important alterations in the time-table should be submitted to the local bodies before being adopted by tha department. That step, it was 'said, would avoid a lot of complaint. Mr. Massey: And make you respon. sible; I like the idea! Tho extension of half-fares to children of sixteen was advocated, and it was said that such an increase in the scope would attract many people to the suburbs. Mr. Robertson made a strong point of getting the suburban radius extended to Kumeu. Mr. Massey said that certain changewere pending in the Railway Department which would make a considerable difference in favour of the travelling public. Auckland was growing at such a rapid rate that it was difficult to keep up with the requirements of the city and suburbs, but it had to be tackled. If they could carry the people out of London and back again, he thought they could carry the people out of Auckland and back again. He was glad the league existed, as they would he able to make use of it.