JOHNSONVILLE'S RAILWAY STATION.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 142, 17 June 1911, Page 6

JOHNSONVILLE'S RAILWAY STATION.

♦ _o'xHE EDITOR. Sir, — It is a noticeable fact at the present time Ministers of the Crown, are very generous in giving doles from the public funds to certain favoured districts. Their reason for tljese doles have been so often exposed by your able pen that I refrain from further comment. However, there is. one particular district that does not se«m worth their while attending to in tins respect. I refer to Johnsonville. Now, as a resident of Johnsonville for a number of years, I have watched the steady progress of the township and district, and withont asking for any favours, I claim thafj the R'adway Department, at least, should provide reasonable and adequate accommodation for the travelling public. A number of the residents have been trying, to meet the Hon. J. A. Millar for months, but they have now had a definite assurance that/ h© does uoi 1 want to meet them ; but to keep u& "sweet" he suggests lengthening the present platform arid putting a verandah on our present lean-to station shed. Now this would be a, complete waste of money, as no provision would have been made for the safety of passengers. The local Town Board have under way contracts for water and drainage, and hope to have them completed, with gas lighting and other improvements, within twelve months from now, and it? is reasonable to suppose that the improved sanitation and lighting will do much to make Johnsonville popular as a place of residence. Therexore, I think the Railway Department should see that reasonable provision is made to cope with the requirmente of the place. The present station building is an old lean-to shed, which was erected as a temporary building by the Manawatu Railway Company when tho line was opened nearly thirty years ago, and is so rotten in places that it is depending a good deal on l-he paint to keep it from falling to pieces. What v/e lequii'e here is an iiand platform, such, as Nghauranga has, but with a proper approach by a sub-way instead of by an idiotic and unsightly bridge, which requires- a man of considerable muscle 1 and nerve to negotiate. If, sir, you coidd send a representative of your paper out to Johnsonville by the 5.20 p.m. train to see for himself the hundreds of people scrambling over the intervening rails to get up on the platform, and ccc at the .same time the Napier Express rushing in ready to crush any who may not have been able to reach the/platform in time, he will realise the urgency of an alteration in existing condition-. 1 * I tnist, sir, you will do this, and if you are convinced I have not exaggerated the position 1 hope 'to have your assistance in bringing the Department to see the necessity of facing the position. I know tho Minister's excuse -for not keeping up with requirements is "no money available," but he seems to be able to find some for a favoured spot np the line for swimming baths. I wonder if the people in that particular township really need a bath as much as> the people of Johnsonyille need k lailway station. — I am, etc., "LOOKING AHEAD." Johnsonville, 16th June.

lii_ opening the skating ring at Kilbimie yesterday, Mr. Luke said that the opening of a splendid and well-de-signed hall wae another evid«nce of th» development that had taken pku:e in that part of the city. The natural faqilities of Evans Bay to meet the industrial and commercial extension of the city was supplemented by large ar-ea-3 of splendid land for residential purposes. The growth and settlement of Miramar and Evane Bay, together with Kilbirnie a-nd Maranui, was an indication of the great future which was in store for that district, and, along with the filling up of areas with residences, there was a need -to provide for the aoclal and recreative wellbeing of the community. The hall now being opened would fill the present need and meet the conditions for many years to come. Olie thing that wafi absolutely necessary was that, in building up the requirements for pleasure, they must ensure that every provision was made tor clean, manly, and educational activities. Once that was departed from, not only would those » who promoted the means of recreation and the people generally suffer, but the happiness and well being of the district would v be minimised. "The future of Lyall Bay as one of the principal plea--nure «ea resorts had been assured, and he trusted that the enterprise now launched would result in much happiness lo the patrons and a fair return for the capital invested. A nolicn to members of Court _ Loyal Northland, A.0.F., is advorfised in ihh issue. Messrs. J. [1. BMliunc and (!o. advertise a pi'opprty sale to be held on Tuesday, 41 h July. The lisf. includes No. 231, Thorndon-ciuay, and 9-roomed i esif lpiico on land 46 by 196 I'fet ; al>o v number of prnportiDS vi Petuno belonging lo Mr. GeorfiTP .Join 1;*,1 ;*, who is S( i llinH' in consoqufnee of ill-health, including Ihu Railway Boariling:lioui.(', No. 1. 'Ilutt-road, IS looms, with three ft out bhops and outbuildings, on a section 62ft by 74ft : Mr. Jones's family residence, No. 71, IluttI'oucl, containing 9 rooms, with orchard and garden, the land having 101 ft fronlr,ge by a depth of 101 f t; No. 128, NelsonGtrect, 33ft by 120 ft, with double frontage iind residence of 6 rooms and outbuildings; three vacant t>e_tioii_ in Wal.etieldstieot, Alicetown, each measuring 45 by 145 feet. To-morrow ihn steamer Moturuu will convey visitor* ou beard the wkv vetaelt

A Coronation service will be held at the Vivian-street Baptist Church on Sunday evening. The Rev. J. J. North will preach a patriotic sermon on What Christ has done for England." A public meeting will be held in Spiller's Hall, Boulcott-street, on Monday evening to consider a scheme for the construction of a subway and elevator from Boulcott-street to Wellington- terrace. Mrs. Barton, ex-Councillor of the city of Glasgow, a prominent temperance worker, will preach in The King's Theatro at the Central Mission service on Sunday evening, her subject being "Robbery and Mockery." / Mr. J. W. Poynton will be. the speaker at the Brotherh<jbd meeting in the Druids' Hall, Taranaki-street, at 3 o'clock to-mor-row afternoon. The meeting is open to all. A brotherhood "socia'" will be held on Monday evening. A notice to members of the_ Order of" Foresters is advertised in this issue. A teacher is required at the Buruham Industrial School. Mr. P. H._ Putnam, solicitor, notifies in our advertising columns that he has removed from Routh's Buildings to Royal Exchange offices, Customhouse-quay, op- ! posite the Bank of New Zealand. At 2 o'clock on Thursday, 29£h June, Messrs. Tonks, Norton, and Co., Christchurch, will sell by auction the goodwill in tho assigned estate of T. Southworth and Co., cabinet makers. Particulars are advertised in this issue.