UPPER HUTT TRAINS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 107, 6 May 1912, Page 7

UPPER HUTT TRAINS

IMPROVED SERVICE WANTED. DEPUTATION TO MINISTER OF RAILWAYS. MR. MYERS HOPES TO DO SOMETHING. A deputation from the Upper Hutt Valley League waited on tho Minister of Railways (the Hon. A. M. aiyers) to-day, to make certain suggestions in relation to tho railway service to that suburb. The deputation's requests were submitted in writing, and there was only one speaker. Mr. G. Laing-Meason said the deputation desired a revision of the timetable to Upper Hutt, with a view to improving the service. The chief desire was to get a fast train service from Upper Hutt to Wellington in the morning and an equally fast service in the evening to the suburb. Without disturbing the present time-tablo, they believed the nineteen and a half miles could be run in fifty minutes as against the present time. The difference could be made up between Wellington and Lower Hutt, and the speed would not be over thirty-two miles per hour at any point. In order that the milk traffic might not be interfered with, it was Guggested that an engine with two milk vans ' should be run to the city. Amongst other things, the deputation asked that tho arrival of the 6.30 a.m. train from Upper Hutt before 7.35 should be absolutely ensured. At present only ten minutes are allowed to catch the train for Palmerston and New Plymouth at Thorndon. Then the 7.43 from Upper Hutt takes one hour and fifteen minutes to do the trip. It should be speeded up between Lower Hutt and Wellington to the extent of five minutes. It was suggested that it should leave Upper Hutt at 7.48 (thus speeding up five minutes between Upper and Lower Hutt), and arrive at Lambton at 8.53, and give passengers a fair amount of time in which to reach their places of business at 9 a.m. Further, the deputation suggested that a passenger car be attached to the freight train leaving the Upper Hutt between 9 and 10 a.m., and so timed ac to connect with the train leaving Lower Hutt for "Lambton at 10.15 a.m., and that a train should leave Upper Hutt between 9 and 10 p.m. and connect with a train leaving Lower Hutt for Lambton (on every night or on, say three nights pur week). At present the last train from the upper end of the valley leaves Upper Hutt at 7.20 p.m. It was' also asked that the evening mail train stop at Silverstream to pick up as well as set down passengers. The other requests were: —That the wayside "goods" traffic be cut off from the "motor" service. That the 5.12 train departure be delayed until 5.15, and that it Wspeeded up to do the run to Upper Hut in 50 minutes. The 5.20 train from. Lambton not to run beyond Lower Hutt. The 6.17 p.m. from Lambton to be continued to Upper Hutt. That the 9.25 frm Lambton at night do not run through to Upper Hutt but that the 10.35, which now stops at Lower Hutt, be continued on to Upper Hutt. That the 3.30 p.m. goods train from Lower Hutt to Upper Hutt be scheduled in the tune-table an running between those two points daily (except Saturdays, for the school children.)^ SUNDAY SERVICES. In regard to Sunday services, it wai> asked that in working the service from Upper Hutt the train start at 8.53 and take up the running of the present 9.28 train from that station from Lower Hutt. That the present 4.67 from Upper Hutt leave at 5.27 p.m. and run half an hour later throughout, arriving at Lambton at 6.38 p.m. in ample time for church services at 7 o'clock; that instead of the train service stopping at Lower Hutt at 9.6 p.m., it be continued on to Upper Hutt terminating there 35 minutes later at 9.41 p.m. After setting out the suggested service in detail, the league asked for concessions in monthly and quarterly ticket*, and for foot warmers on tho early morning trains in the winter. MINISTER'S REPLY. The Minister, after thanking tne deputation for the businesslike manner in which they had put their representations, said that he fully realised the importance of the question and the many attractions which Upper Hutt possessed. He thought it was desirable that every inducement should be held out to people to reside in such localities. Already his departmental officers had instructions from him connected with the suburban services, and' he hoped to be able to do something. As a business man, h© realised that time was money, and after he had certain information at his hand he thought it was possible something would be done He would go into the whole question, and hoped to be able to make a public statement in a> day or two. (Applause.)