DEPUTATION TO MR MAXWELL.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3825, 19 October 1883, Page 3

DEPUTATION TO MR MAXWELL.

The deputation appointed at a recent meeting of tho Chamber of Commerce to confer with Mr MaxAvoll, general manager of N.Z Railways for the Colony, on matters connected with the Napier line, met this afternoon. There were present Messrs J. G. Kinross, (in the chair), E. W. Knowles, M. R. Miller, J. W. Noal, and F. Sutton, M.IT.R. The Chairman explained to Mr Muxavcll the several matters that required attention, the first being the paucity of rolling stock for both goods and passengers. Mr Maxwell said that arrangements had already been mado for providing additional rolling stock for goods, trucks having been ordered nearly a year ago Avhcn tho matter AA-as first brought under his notice. These would be available in two or threo months. With regard to passenger carriages Mr Mtrxwo 1 ! said that, although tho present stock was insufficient for special occasions, such as race meetings, it was at other times of the year in excess of the requirements. The tlofect at times of race meetings and other largo gatherings was equally felt at Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and other places all over the colony. However, there would be some extra carriages which Avere uoav in preparation provided shortly. The Chairman next remarked on the limited number of locomotives. There were he said, only seven for tho Avholc line, or less than tho stock on any other lino, save tho Noav Plymouth railway, which Avas only fifty miles in length. Mr Maxwell said it did not at all folloAV that tho number of engines should be in proportion to the length of the line. Some linos were more easily worked than others, and Napier was one of these. Ho bclived that hitherto tho Napier section had been very well served with the number of locomotives it had. Mr Kinross concurred, but added that this was done at very great inconvenience to those using tho line. There were some gradients where tho present engines could not travel with it heavy train. The next matter touched upon Avas the inconvenient train arrangements for both goods and passenger traffic between the tOAvn and the Spit, and this Mr Maxwell promised to havo rectified. Mr Maxwell also asked tho Chamber of Commerce to co-operate;Avith him in representing to the Harbor Board certain matters connected Avith the Spit station and tho lino on tho breastwork. In reply to a question by Mr KnoAvles, Mr Maxwell said the department had been obliged to refuse to continue the Saturday CA'cning train from Hastings for the guarantee of £6, for the reason that it did not pay. The train had to run -18 miles, no engine being kept at Hastings station, and to keep it up as a regular thing would mean a serious loss. If double rates were paid then it might bo done. Mr Knowles suggested that the difficulty might be got over by making tho Saturday evening train a part of the ordinary train programme. [At this stage our reporter left.]