LYTTELTON TRAIN SERVICES.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15918, 4 June 1917, Page 8

LYTTELTON TRAIN SERVICES.

THE DEPUTATION'S BEPOHT. FURTHER ACTION DECIDED UPON. TIME-TABLE TRAIN TO BE ASKED FOR. The members of the deputation which waited on the Minister of Railways, tho Hon. TV. H. Herries, in Wellington last Friday, and urged the necessity for a later train at night, to and from Lyttelton, than is at present provided, reported tho result on Saturday morning to a largely-attended meeting, over which the Mayor (,Mr H- Holland) presided, and which was held in the City Council Chamber. THE MAYOR'S REMARKS. The Mayor said that., after discussing the question of tho Lyttelton train fcrrice with the members of the Na-

tional Efficiency Board on Friday morning, tho deputation waited on Mr Herrics, with what result thev already knew. Tho matter was oxcccdingly unsatisfactory. It had boen like drawing blood from a stono to get any concession at all; and the concessions granted were so small that they wcro scaiccly worth enumerating. Those concessions included a promiso that the Minister ■would submit to Cabinet a suggestion that other vessels than transports and coal-carrying steamers could r>.q-iisi-ion for a lato train. But on bo account would ordinary passengers bo carried on trains put on in response to requisition, because if ordinary passengers wore carricd tho requisitioned trains would bo considered suoiuoan tiamc' trains. Another concession was thac tho Minister undertook to appoint eitiicr tuc CoLcctor of Customs, or tho Marino (Superintendent, at LyUcluni the agent for tho Minister of Munitions in t"i> matter of dea.ing with requisitions for late trains. Mr Holland said emphatically that ho was convinced thai, unksssometliing more were done, Chi istckurch and Lantcrbuiy would suffer very severely. Ho noted that in. some instances a demand for 50 cent, increased freight was being mado ; in respect of steamers calling at Lyt- | telton; that some steamers from Dunedin wero refusing to call at Lvttelton; and also that intercolonial steamers, carrying fruit, wcro a.so declining to call. If this went on it would mean an increaso in t..0 cost of liv.ng. The gentlemen comprising the deputation, wilh all their straight talk, had failed to convince tho Minister that there was any difference between Canterbury's port and Wellington, or Auckland. Tho Minister took up the position that tho rules and regulations should apply uniformly throughout the Dominion—a postion that exemplified the 01.l adage: "Tiicre are none so blind as those who will not see." The deputation understood that Cabinet was to meet on Monday to further consider tho question, and ho suggested that tho meeting should consider what further steps should be taken. The gravity of the position "this ridiculous rod tape that has been imposed on tho traffic"—cou.d not bo exaggerated. Tho eases of Auckland and Onehunga, and of Christchurch and Lvttelton, were not analogous, and tho Chrlstehurch-Lvttelton position must bo treated in a differ?nt manner. He expressed the great obligation they wero under to Mr Win Ferguson and Mr J. A. Fiostick for the way m which they had put the case before the Minister. FURTHER ACTION PROPOSED. Mr H. S. Bourn said that they appeared to havo reached the posi ion that tho Cabinet would not' do anything in tho matter unless on the re-, commendation of the Genoial Manager of tho Railways, and the General Manager did not_seo his way to make any recommenda-ion. From uv'orniation given him by members of the Council of tho Canterbury Chamber of Conimeice, ho nnde; stood that tho requisitioned trains would not bo .satisfactory to the watcrsido workers,, who require:! a timc-tablo train before they would work at night. Tho .Efficiency Board had given, the deputation valuable assistance, and was inclined to recommend that thry should rest content until thev knew the Government's decision with rcspcct to tho requisition trains. Tho Chamber of Comme: ce held a different opinion: nftor tho Government had given its decision respect'nw requisition tra : ns, th:re would bo little clianco of getting a time-table train. Jle moved:—

lhat this meeting, representative oi Canterbury interests, expresses disappointment that the Minister of Railways did not accede to the request of Canterbury, through its deputation, in regard to tho running of the J. 40 p.m. train between Lyttelton and Chnstchurch. Seeing that tie request is undoubtedly fair and .hat so much is gained for so little alio community represented being wholehearted in their desire to assist tho Government i n this time of stress), they_ respectfully claim the right to consideration, particularly in the policy of disturbing business a s jittlo as possible. Whilo thanking the Minister for his promise to again submit the matter to Cabinet in so i'ar as to extend tho present regulation in regard to ships, and hour of notice of requisition, this will n ot bo acceptable in the interests of conservation of business, efficiency, and justice, this meeting again insistently. urges that the 9.45 p.m. train from Lyttelton bo reinstated." They would note, Mr Bourn added, that tho motion mg.de no referenco to the 9.15 p.m. train from Christchurch and the reason v.-as that they would bo content with a 9.40 p.m. train from Lyttelton, and the absence of rofere.nec to tho other train, he thought, strengthened their argument. , Mr J ; T. Martin seconded the ir.otion, and said that it was inexplicable that the Government should set up an Efficiency Board and then not accept its recommendation in this particular matter. He urged that th,cy should not swerve one iota from their intention to have a time-table train at 9.45 p.m. THE URGENCY OF THE MATTER.

Mr Albert Kayo said that both the Minister and Mr, Hi ley took a definite and firm attitude against anything 111 tho shape of a time-table train. The secret of the whole. attitude of the Minister was that it was a political matter —that if the train asked for was granted, Auckland would demand a similar concession. 'The case was one of urgency. 'Thoy rend in the jipu\spapers of tho need of the Empire tor foodstuffs—a need that was daily increasing. In face of this urgency thoy had those delays in turning the ships round. It was ridiculous and absiird that vessels that came to Lvttclton could only bo worked six or eight hours daily. Ho cited tlio action of the late Mr Seddon; who ordered that work should be continued night and day >n order that the First Contingent for South Africa should leave on a cert.iin da to. and Mr Kaye said that similar measures were surely more necessary row when cur sisters and brothers were so hard to it for food, in the Old Country. If there was nowadays a n;an like Kit-haul Seddon, it would not ho a question of working the ships to 9 p.m.. but of working them right through tho night. Present conditions demanded that every steamer that came to the Dominion should save a week of her tinie. a matter in which he was sure tho skipping companies would assist. Dr. Thacker, M.P.. warir.lv commended the Mayor, the members of the deputation, an-1 tho members of the Efficiency Board for the way in which they had placed matters before the Minister, and commented on the fact that though Mr "W. Ferguson was the chairman of tho Efficiency Board, he had been ignored bv the Government. Mr W. T. Lester (Mayor of Lyttelton) said tho Minister's contention that if a time-table train were put on the question of suburban trains generally would be opened up—that sucli train's would be asked for bv Rnr.rnnra <,thl other places —was simply shuffling. Thai; the chairman of the Efficiency Board had been ignored was one of the sore points with the deputation. THE AUCKLAND ARGUMENT. Sir L. M. isitt, JI.P., said that when in "Wellington he had spoken to tho Hon. W. H. Herries regarding the Lyttelton train service, and Mr Herries had said, jocularly (as he, Mr Isitt, thought) that Auckland had declared that any concession granted Christchurch, Auckland would want. "The moment I saw that lie advanced it. as a sound reason," continued Mr Isitt, "I realised that he was weak enough for a Minister of the Crown to take up

such an attitude." If Mr Parr bad demonstrated that the shipping at Onchunga had been disorganised, and, that the scholars attending the Auckland Technical College had been prevented attending the College, he would have; had some ground for asking for a concession. lint his only ground appeared to bo petty jealousy and greed. It seemed to him (the sneaker) that no Minister with a ser.so of dignity or responsibility would sav that no such . tiling as that- would avail, with them, and that they wero there to administer affairs of the different localities with due regard to the efficiency of the whole Dominion. (Applause.) "This I miserable jealousy between eiiv and , city," lie continued, "should be deprecated, and not encouraged by Ministers of the Crown, and I hope that wo will push this matter as much as wo can." Mr McGregor Wright (Mayor oF | Woolston) expressed the thanks of the people of 'Woolston—many of them waterside workers—for what tho deputation had done on their' behalf. Replying to Mr Bourn, Mr McGregor Wright said that tho waterside workers who had spoken to him had said that if a time-table train could be got it should be got—in short, that it must be got. After further discussion the motion was agreed to unanimously. Mr D. Reese said that it had been suggested that an anneal, by cable, should bo made to Mr Ma-ssev and Sir Joseph Ward. It looked as if the first mate, who was on tho bridge, would not take tho ship into port. REPRESENTATIONS TO CABINET. After some further discussion, chiefly regarding tho manner jn which the further representations on tho subject should be made, it was decided, on tho motion of Sir Bourn, seconded by Mr H. B. Sorensen :—"That tho Canterbury members of Parliament be requested to approach the Acting-Primo Minister, and through him the Cabinet, in whatever manner they think best, to bring about tho request contained in tho previous resolution." Mr L. M. Isitt, M.P., and Dr. Thacker, M.P., took in hand the matter of assembling the Canterbury members of Parliament in Christ-church at 2 p.m. to-day. MEETING AT LYTTELTOX.

The Mayor of Lyttelton (Mr TV. T. Lester) presided over a public meeting held in the Lyttelton Council Chambers on Saturday evening, convened by the local Citizens' Association, to further consider matters in connexion with, the restricted train service between Christchurch and Lyttelton, and to receive a report from tno deputation that waited on the Minister of Railways at Wellington last week. Mr Lester, who was a member of the deputation, said it was his opinion that the Minister had made his decision before the deputation arrived. Ho (Mr Hcrries) would give no concessions. The proposed Special train for the use of watersiders only was not a satisfactory solution of the difficulty. Notice that, a special train was required would have to be given at noon,, and that in most ruses would be impossible. The special train would consist of an engine, and one car, and every- passenger, in addition to the ordinary ticket would bo required to show a special permit. Lyttelton and Christchurch residents should not let the matter drop. Mr W. D. Smith said that he was a resident of Lyttelton, and for tho past five weeks had been unable to come home from his business in the city. lie said that the question of bringing home people from tho other side of the hills had not been raised. Many Lyttelton girls working in the city were compelled to remain in Christchurch on Friday night, as there was 110 train to take them home. Some iirniK, at great inconvenience to themselves, had been generous enough to allow tho girls to leave early in order to return to their homes. Mr E. JI. Henderson asked why the Government allowed tho trains to run late on Saturday night, peeing that nobody had asked for them, and they wcro not required, when other trains that wcro really essential had been cut out. The late running of trains on Saturdays was certainly not in conformity with the 12-liour day plea. Would it not be more feasible, he said, to restrict the Saturday night service, and grant the 9.1-j train every night? ° Mr Lester replied that when the Minister had been asked to have the late train run on Friday nights instead of Saturday nights, the only satisfaction that tho deputation could get was that if the Saturday night trains were not wanted they could be stopped. Mr J. J- Garrard said the whole of Canterbury v/ished t-o assist the Go\ - eminent and everybody should be propared to'put up with hardships, but our food sunplics should not bo interfered with at the present time, when they were so urgently needed. Mr Hemes's reply to the deputation's request was unbusinesslike and unstatesmanlikc. J no Home Government was bearing the cost of the delay in despatching the ships. Hero was a fine example of incfficicncy in State control. The following motion, moved b> the Mnvor. and ser-onded by Mr F. Andcison~, "was carried unanimously: '"That this meeting views with -'arm the reply given to the deputation at Wellington by the Minister of Kailwavs, and strongly urges that he reconsiders the question of running the 9 lo train from Christchurch, and 9 45 from Lyttelton, and asks all local bodies of Canterbury to use their utmost endeavours to have the train reinstated.^ 1