TRAIN STOPPING PLACES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 526, 5 June 1909, Page 6

TRAIN STOPPING PLACES.

WHAT PETONE WANTB.'

STATEMENT BY HON.'J/A. MILLAR.

Tho Hon. J. A, Millar, Minister for Rail"■ays, was waited upon yesterday morning ■ by tho Mayor of Petonp (Mr. J. W. MTSwan) .mil K>vcral members of tho : Borough: Council, who dosircd ! that the up- mail' train, '.vhich stops at Lower Hutt, should etop afeo ". at l'etono. . '.. ■■. , ■ ■ Mr. T. M. Wilfordj M.P., who introduced;' \ tiio deputation, said the concession waa earnestly , desired by the people of.Potone.' They did not want'to interfere with tho stoppini; of tiie train at Lower Hutt, but they fon.'iidcrcd that Potono, with a population of ■t'XO, was entitled to have the. train etop . ■IU-?ro. The delays which took place at other ■ i'.talians v.ore probably the real■ cause that i'J'.l i'Tjvenjied tliis concession granted ;iO thriving and populous district which ■ •'■' .•uipcr.tly reeded it. ~' ' . i ■ ■■" ' Mr, M'Ewan said.it was a .real hardship ;.. hi- residents, especially women and chit- V ilrrn,.'to walk to Lower Hutt—as much'as fr-.vo niibs in some cnses-r-to,.catch tho.train .•'■"' 'H>.on\ They, understood that four minute*: ]: in- fnin.iiig time had been already; saved by., llto-duplication, of tho c line south- ot. Petone. .. .mid they would sugejost that-this time could. •■ bo devoted to stopping at Petone. ■ . ,■. Mr. -^."irgo , London spoke of the great •>.-/ hardcliip-'to women aud children, who could, not afford a; convovance, iuid were to be... Do:n -walking-paat. liie house carryini their-... bundles every day.-'Pctono stood'high nponv tfc ii;;t of-the busiest stations in the D 0... ., I'r. inion. '', ;.. :-.' .-..v 1 .-- Y ■-~ Mr.'Wilfordi Two years agojt. was third ' in the wliolo-Dominion in : regard to.number.".', of tickets.issued.-' -....' .'; ;-, '..,''.,. • ' ':< .-■■■ 1 Mr. R. .Mpthes. said ho hoped-the Minister 'v/.oul-l .steo..his.,way.. to grant\a;fair. and. reas-' ~<,.' α-habta concession.', - : ■■■', •■ .-. , ... !■ .... Mr. Soythgato said tliat on a recent morning seven, pcoplo.had,boarded tho up.express .... at Lower.Hiitt and,they wero.all from Pβ-.,;.-• toiiu..' ■..- ■■'./....;■.: •.-.;.' ■..■.■•■.-•' •- • :';''"■■ The Minister's Replyv .'..,; ■ Tho Minister,;in reply, said ho was pleased ': 'to meet the deputation. , In_.Slay, 1907, an. ■"> intUnation seat to Clerk it.--'■ ■l'efone.thdj.if Potono and Lower'Hutt could. ■ agree is to which place the train shonld stop '••• at, the Department would-' ar-rango. accord- ■ ingly. 'i'ho Department did not mind whotJhet - tho stopping plac.o. Wai Petono - or .Lower ' ; Hutt, but a mail train could not •be turnod, ''■'■ '' into a.Buburfian. Service.; 'Sao two etationa " ■ wore only a mile and a quarter apart. The : express loft Lower Hutt at 8.40, and Petone ■'■'■■ residents'.oonld catoh .it'by taking iho train '". ,whiqh foftPotone ai 8'.21,b0 that tho utmost.'. , •;inconvonipoe l they ieod suffer was' tho wait*. "\ tif ten minutes at Lowpr Hutt.. Tho'stoppage of a train meant more than a matter of time . •They had to consider.tho.wear and tear o£ : brake blocks and raila, and other things., They could'not' ehow any-place in the wofld where ! an express, train stopped at two " : ■places so close together. Xower Hutt .seemed to'be;tho most'bonveniont stopping- . place'at present, and there was no intontioh ! of leaving it , out, but lie''wished to make it . porfeotly'clear that the-train could not stop ■ at both places. He would .try to ascertain i how many passengoni travellod from , each of" ithe two places by the'northward mail train. He know there was a_ strong jealousy between .the two places, and it had; existed for yoais, ■ ibut he ATae hot. going to , he drawa into ft. 'Unless there-'was-tramc to; justify it, fire trail ' could not be;stopped to suit;one or two' people, and.if they sufforod isome inooimsnionco, that; could not be' avoided. s; Hβ would ■ advise Petono and Hutt ,lo try to acroo ea • ,to\whero tho trahidiould stop. V' ■ :■ ' i Tho Down Mall Train. ; . ;. Tffie disouseioa took a'new turn' when &a ' ■Minister replied to an argument tiat_aa the' down mail'stoppod every evening at rotono, . the up mail 'might with :equal reaeon stop .""' I there. Sir. Miffiir contended.at:firet that. [ the evening, many people; wanted"to 1 come' into' Wellington \ at. that tinie'; htit' the' deputatiioii tthat the train only stopped to eoti down :pas3on^era, ! ttnd ! aiatno one was alknsod (a hboard-.it- ■;.■-■•'.•;*.'••■ ..,■.>■,■•:••■■ -. ;■; :l.v ~>■'..> •;.■*-. The Minister replied tiiat he did not aoe' v ; why this/ should.■ beraoi '■ Ho' *' , the, General Manager; and it 'would -perhaps •' be.- found- that if- Peteno": .passengers ' were '■ allowed to come into the city byt&o'expreSs, tho nest traia foUowing.it could'bo taken ott. '