DEPUTATIONS.

Evening Star, Issue 5073, 9 June 1879, Page 2

DEPUTATIONS.

This morning a deputation from Port Chalmers—comprising Mr Green, M.H.R., Messrs Innes (Mayor), Law, Dick, Grindlcy, and Walker—waited upon the Minister for Works and the Minister for Lands.

Mr Green said the first subject he had to mention was the urgent need for prison labor to carry out works at the Port. The prisoners were at present working there on Government service, but this would soon be completed; and ho would ask that they might then be employed in repairing the Beach road and in making a road-line round the end of the Peninsula, there being at present no proper means of communication with the other side of the point. Mr Macandrew said the matter would require consideration, and ho would not like to bind himself to a promise that the request should be granted. Mr Green next referred to tho want of wharf accommodation at tho Port, saying that even the projected additions in connection with the railway there would not meet the wants.

Mr Macandrew considered that the Harbor Board should be applied to. He agreed with the deputation that there would not be sufficient accommodation even when the railway wharf was completed, but thought that the Board was the proper body to see to the providing of more facilities when the necessity arose. Mr Gkeen then brought up the matter of the lengthening of the graving dock, expressing the fear that it would not be enlarged if handed over to the Board, as had been proposed. The Corporation of Port Chalmers would prefer to see the dock retained by the Government and would rather trust to the Assembly and the Government to lengthen it than to the Harbor Board; besides which, if the latter body got the dook the workshops would be injuriously affected. Mr Macandrew assured the deputation tint he would be no party to handing over the dock to the Board except on condition that it was langthened. The vexed question of the north express train not calling at the Port was next touched upon by Mr Green, who testified to the great inconvenience caused thereby. Mr Macandrew replied that he could hold out no hope of the train being allowed to call at the Pert station. If that were done the train could not be called an express, and many many other places fcljng the line would also be wanting it to stop. Mr Green asked if the night train to the Port could be timed to leave Dunedin at a later hour than nine o'clock, the present time.

Mr Macandrew said the Commissioner of Railways (Mr Conyers) had laid a proposal before him for the train to leave at 10.30 p.m.

The deputation remarked that this would be a great convenience, but that eleven o'clock would be a better time.

This matter was then allowed to drop, with the understanding that it should be eeen how the 10.30 train would work. JUVENILE SEASON TICKET-HOLDERS. The Mayor of Caversham, Mr Jones, and Mr Banks asked Ministers how it was that for this season the public were unable to -obtain season tickets for children—other than those attending schools—at a reduced irate, as had been the custom previously. Mr Stout replied that the Government hj, ad decided to issue such tickets at halfpi ioe and the matter was in hand; bat as tbvra would necessarily be aa alteration in

the regulations an Order in Council would have to be obtained. Immediately thiß cc QUI be obtained the alteration would be carried out.