RAILWAYS BOARD.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 243, 14 October 1925, Page 10

RAILWAYS BOARD.

CHAIRMAN IN THE NORTH.

KAIKOHE AFFAIRS DISCUSSED

Mr. H. H. Sterling, acting-chairman of the Railways Board, made a tour of the North during tbe week-end. He arrived in Auckland from Wellington on Saturday morning, proceeding thence to Opua. Kaikohe, and back to Auckland, which place he left for Wellington on Tuesday night's Limited.

During the course of bis travels tbe acting-chairman of the board met customers of the Railway Department, and discussed matters affecting the districts as far as tbe railways were concerned.

When in Kaikohe, Mr. Sterling was interviewed by a deputation from the Kaikohe Town Board, representations were made to have the northern service further extended so as to give Kaikohe and the Hokianga district a daily connection from Auckland. It was stated that the people in the districts mentioned appreciated the new railway services which gave a daily service betweeii Auckland and Whangarei.

Mr. Sterling said he would discuss the matter with his colleagues in Wellington. He pointed out, however, that to introduce what the deputation desired would mean the appointment of an extra acting-driver and a guard at Kaikohe. This would be costly, and as the question of cost of railway services wa3 closely allied to revenue, it had to be particularly stressed.

In view of the fact that the Railways Board was trustees for the people of New Zealand so far as finances were concerned, he was quite certain that the Kaikohe and Hokianga districts did not wish the Department to spend more money than the service warranted. It should be remembered that the ne.v timetable and improved northern services had come into operation on Monday of this week.