PLEASED SUBURBS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 3, 4 July 1938, Page 6

PLEASED SUBURBS

EFFORTS REWARDED

GATHERING AT KHANDALLAH

_ The gathering at the Khandallah Hall in the evening representing the three districts served by the new electric service was a memorable one. It was a combined celebration, Mr. H. L. Cummings, chairman of the Ngaio Progressive Association, presided, and there were present the Minister of Railways (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan), Mr. G. H. Mackley, general manager of the Railways, the Mayor of Wellington (Mr. T. C. A. Hislop), the members of Parliament for the districts concerned, and the chairman of the two other progressive associations, as well as many of the older residents of the localities, including Mr. R. Aplin and Mrs. A. E. Gibson. Enthusiasm was general, and the extent of the representation of the three districts showed that the frequent communications now established will- greatly facilitate the social life of what is now more or less of a united community. After twenty years of representations for better access, they were in the same position in 1931, but a committee had been formed, and its co-ordinated efforts had been well sustained, said the chairman. The Railway Board was approached with little success, and they had not got much, further till in 1932 the matter was presented to Mr. Mackley as a commercial one. He was sympathetic, and had since given great help. It was largely due to his recommendation that they had today's service. When the Forbes Government made the decision to electrify the line, the Opposition was fully in accord with it, and when the present Government came in it had done all it could to help. Thanks -were due to the local committee which had worked for seven years to achieve the desire of the districts, and he hoped the residents would support the service. "CLOSER TO THE CITY." All such things brought the community closer and brought land for houses into occupation with the certainty of those building on it being near.their point of work in the matter of time, and this service assured them of economical transport, said Mr. Hislop. This area was one of the first away from the beaches to be settled, and yet it was one of the last to be brought into rapid communication with the city. Johnsonville would now be as close to the central portion of the city as Kilbirnie. He hoped that all who now had this very rapid means

of transport would cease complaints in regard to transport so far as it might affect the Wellington City Council. "I hope you will make all such complaints to the Government, and makej [ them before the end of the year, i (Laughter.) You are now near the centre of the city, so I imagine that if the people of Ngaio want a swim they! will go to the city. We are now a compact unit and may act together." He congratulated the residents who had worked for the consummation of their desires. Referring to former days, he mentioned the settling of Mr. J. Chew (the originator of Chew's Lane) on the premises now occupied by his daughter, Mrs. A. E. Gibson, in Ngaio. There was then a sawmill there, operated by water power, a dam having been put up immediately Dehind the position of the Ngaio Town Hall. He was very glad that the water was not impounded there now, because in time it formed a large lagoon, which eventually burst its banks. A cloudburst in 1863 carried the old mill down to the sea. Mr. Hislop referred to many other interesting happenings of the old days before he left to keep another engagement. The Minister of Railways (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) said that he could quite understand the difficulties by which the Railway Board and the former authorities were confronted when first approached by the residents, including the rivalry of the road interests. A few years ago it was said that the railways were/a back number, but now the business being done broke all records. The General Manager of Railways (Mr. G. H. Mackley) said that the function was the most important held in the district for years. On behalf of the staff, he expressed appreciation of the help always forthcoming from the combined districts committee. The people would see that, as had been promised, they were not let down, especially in regard to time-table and fares. He believed that the service would pay before long. ASTUTE CORPORATION. "Was the Mayor speaking as a resident of the district or as Mayor of the city?" asked Mr. Mackley. "We know that the cost to the city of meeting the transport needs of this district will no longer be a problem to it. I think i that the City Council was very p.stute in not taking the problem on. When the line was to be done away with it was offered to the city for £150,000. The Mayor did not bite. A few years ago a further parley took place, and it was offered to the city for £7000. He has left us to carry the baby, We do not mind. It's a nice baby.". . .

Referring to what Mr. Mackley had said about the negotiations for the line, Mr. R. A. Wright, M.P., said it was quite true*. "We did not want it at any price," he continued. "We knew the people would have to be catered for, but we wanted the Government to

do it, because we did not know how it would turn out. The Government had a great deal more power than the City Council, and legislation was necessary. While Mr. Mackley had rather i : a hard nut to deal with in the Mayor., my honest opinion is that Mr. Mackley is one of the greatest men at a deal in the Dominion." Before the Government decided to spend the large sum involved in the electrification of the line it required assurance that the line would be patronised, said the Minister of Railways. When the Johnsonville Line Protection Bill was before Parliament, some people were distrustful of the Department. After conferences both in Parliament and out of it, they were convinced that the Department would not fail them. When they saw the time-table for the new service they would frankly agree that they had been treated well. Mr. L. G. Lowry; M.P., said that it had been impossible for the railway staff to keep the old carriages clean. Now it would be different. He recalled some of the unkind things that has been said about the district in its days of isolation, but these were now past. COASTAL NORTHERN ROUTE. Mr. W. H. Field, as one who had been associated with the district for many years, said that he must give place to some older residents present. His family had, however, come out in the Simla, and it was interesting to see that the name, which had occurred so I I often in conversation in the early days, was perpetuated in one of the streets, i There were few communications in those days. His father and mother had walked from Wellington sto Wanganui, taking ten days over it, following the coastal route, and he was pleased to see that his own conviction and theirs that the road to Paekakariki should never have gone over the hill had been endorsed by the Minister of Public Works of the present Government.

Mr. G. A. Lawrence, chairman of the Johnsonville Town Board, spoke of. the pleasanter association of himself and Mr. M. S. Galloway that day when coming up the hills benevolently by the aid of an invention of man which made for joy and pleasure than when they were together 23 years ago in almost as close but much more uncomfortable touch with the diabolical invention of man for warfare. The provision of the service was wise, if only for the fact that it would not be long before the Hutt Road could not carry all road passenger traffic, and when that stage had. been reached, Johnsonville residents would have suffered the general inconvenience of getting to town.

Mr. Galloway added his congratulations and thanks to those who had helped to obtain the service. He recalled the refusal of the railway authorities seventeen years ago to bring Johnsonville .residents in to Lambton. The residents were told that it would