MOSGIEL TRAIHS

Evening Star, Issue 20255, 16 August 1929, Page 6

MOSGIEL TRAIHS

COMPLAINTS OF LATE RUNNING PETITION TO MINISTER No fewer than 321 passengers between Dunedin and Mosgiel signed a petition which was recently forwarded to the Minister of Railways in respect to the late running of the train which is timed to leave Dunedin at 5.15 p.m. daily for Mosgiel. Tlie petition reads as follows: “ We, the undersigned,' passengers,, strongly protest against the delay at times in despatching the 5.15 p.m. train. Dunedin to Mosgiel. On Thursday last, July 25, although the train w is ready to leave at the schedule time it did not do so til! 5.29 p-.m. (a delay of fourteen minutes). As you know this is the workers’ train, and hungry passengers, after their day’s work, arrived home fourteen minutes late for tea or dinner, as the case may be. “The cause of the holding up of this train was the late arrival in Dunedin of the Christchurch-lnvercargill express It left Dunedin for Invercargill at 6.25 p.m., and the ordinary tram was held back to allow it to proceed first. This, w r e contend, is very unfair, and we consider that in all cases the workers’ train should take precedence. In the instance in point, had the 5.15 p.m. train been despatched at the schedule time and as she is timed to arrive in Mosgiel at 5.45 p.m., the express would not have been delayed en route more than a few minutes. “We shall be pleased if you will give n structious that our wishes bo oarr,«d out, and you will have the grateful thanks of the workers.” Accompanying the petition, which was addressed to the Minister of Railways, the following letter was sent to Mr A. E. Ansell, M.P. for the district:—“l write on behalf of the subscribers to tlie enclosed petition addressed to the Minister of Railways, and would be pleased if you would be so good as to place the matter before him. The petition, which explains itself, is signed by 321 passengers, "all of whom, with a few exceptions, are regular daily passengers by the 5.15 p.m. train Dunedin to Mosgiel. Quite a number of young people return from Mosgiel and intermediate stations by the 6.15 p.m. train to attend technical classes, and adults return by that or the G. 50 p.m. train to attend meetings or places of amusement in the city, and they naturally desire to have ft their own homes the full interval between the trains. “A matter which does not appear in the petition, but which the petitioners would like to see remedied, is that occasionally incoming and outgoing trains are delayed or held up on the line opposite the railway B shed, owing to the absence of another set of rails from that point to the unused spare dock on the Mosgiel platform section of the Dunedin station. Delay happens occasionally at 5.15 p.m. and 6.60 p.m. train from Mosgiel, in particular. “ The equipping of this dock would remedy this matter for all time. The petitioners consider that the Railway Department should do all in its power to encourage people to .live in these desirable suburbs—viz., Green Island. Wingatui, and Mosgiel districts—and a punctual railway service should be assured.

“ In conclusion,. I may state that the residents in the affected districts consider that the time is ripe for the running of an electric coach continuous!.' between Dunedin and Mosgiel. Trust ing that you will find time to place these matters before the Minister, and thanking you in anticipation.” (Signed by Mr A. Love on behalf of the petitioners.)

Mr A. E. Ausell, M.P., lias replied as follows:—“In accordance with my promise, I' immediately brought your petition before the Minister of Railways, and have talked the matter over very thoroughly with the General Manager, Mr Sterling. I, of course, cannot give you a definite answer, but 1 am able to indicate that the matter will receive very favourable consideration. Mr Sterling is going very deeply into the matter, and states that as far as the extra dock is concerned, if it is deemed necessary, it will be put in; and in the meantime he is giving instructions that whenever the express is running late the Mosgiel train willbe sent away to 'time if it is possible to get her through before the express. Mr Sterling has promised that he will, in the near future, write me fully regarding the representations that i have made on behalf of the petition-