RAILWAY FACILITIES

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 55, 6 March 1914, Page 3

RAILWAY FACILITIES

MR HERRIES RECEIVES DEPUTATIONS. ( («T TEIEQRAPH.— PRESS ASSOCIATION.) LEVIN, sth March. The Minister of Railways (Hon. W. H. Herries) visited Levin to-day, and received deputations from the Borough Council and the Chamber of .Commerce regarding railway facilities, the acquisition from the Government of Foxton Wharf, and local matters. In reply, the Minister intimated that tho new General Manager of Railways was considering the whole question of expediting the train services on the Main Trunk line, including the question of having the Auckland express stop at Levin. The question of dangerous level railway crossings was also being investigated. The Minister was not favourably impressed by a suggestion to have gates' erected. The general public were averse to this, he thought, but he believed it to be .practicable in some cases to have electric alarm bells | operated at such crossings from the I railway stations. Respecting Foxton wharf, Mr. Herries thought the acqnisition could be secured if a spirit of reasonableness was shown. The Railway . Department already had fixed its selling price, and he did not think the Department could do as suggested by the deputation, and accept time-pay-ments m lieu of cash. Legislation to permit that would be essential first. He suggested that, with a view to expediting the acquirement of the wharf from the Government, the Harbour Board should first take a poll of the ratepayers, yea or nay. Failing this, there would _ be the probability of objections being raised when the Bill was before Parliament, and a proviso for tho taking' of such a poll added to the Bill. The Minister left Levin for Wellington by the New Plymouth express.