Sidetracking Feilding.

Feilding Star, Volume II, Issue 513, 26 March 1908, Page 2

Sidetracking Feilding.

1 ■ It seems, from all reliable nccoumu, as if the Railway Department serious- | ly intends leaving Feilding out of the : running in making up its time-table : for the Main Trunk train. This is ! a very short-sighted policy on the - part of a department that boasts of I being up to date mi its methods and . business-like in conducting its busi- - ness. The only argument the department could have in favour of passing j by such an important centre as Feildf ing would be that the Main Trunk . train is to be devoted solely to the I tourist" traffic. If that train is to > lie used primarily for saving the time of the bustling American who wants ', to get from Auckland to the Bluff in r the shortest time on record, then we • have no defence to offer. It is only " ! right that the Gentleman in a Hurry I should be helped along at top speed, j and as the Surplus is to be created by the Tourist, then the Railway Department must bow to the behest of the Tourist Department. But if business is to be combined with pleasure in the operation of the Welling-ton-Auckland express, then the claims of Feilding as a feeder must be considered by the department. If not j » j by tho department, then by the Minister in charge ; and if not by the Minister in charge, when by Parliament itself. It is only to be expected that a second thought would not bo given to Feilding by officials who aro not familiar with tho wide range of country of which this town is the hub. How can men take into con- j sidcration items of which they have no knowledge? The Minister of Lands and the Minister of Education were both surprised at the quality and area of the country lying beyond Foilding, and which is untouched by ' the railway system ; and we- are expecting that a similar eye-opener will result in the coming visit of the Minister of Railways when he makes his run over the proposed route of the Apiti-Kimbolton extension. If only the Premier could be induced to visit the district and see its scope and possibilities, then we are con--1 vinced that there would be no more talk of side-tracking Feilding. That there is good reason for making this \ a stopping-place for the Main Trunk train even a casual consideration of the position will prove. It is no exaggeration to estimate that Feilding is tho only outlet by rail for some 10,000 people settled in and about this district. There are rich, wellsettled districts out Rongotea way in tho west, along Apiti, Kimbolton and Rangiwahia in the east, around Aorangi, Taonui, Colyton, and also Bunnythorpe in the south, and about Halcombe in the north. No other district tapped by any railway sysr tern in the dominion has such a ■ countryside to serve it as Feilding hns. And it is not only manifestly unfair to the people of such a big countryside that they should be driven so much out of their Avay as is proposed, in order that they may take advantage of the Trunk trains, but it is bad for the line from the business point of view. Even as things are to-day, Feilding is sadly hampered by , the lack of railway facilities 1 There , is no chance of going anywhere and • back in a day with convenience and ' satisfaction. This district has been

and still is being absolutely neglected ' by tho department. It is liberal in its passenger traffic, rich in stock and other traffic, and gives much patronage to the Railway Department in general merchandise ; and in return ] it is ignored by the department, 1 having a horso for its shunting and an official blank faco offered to all complaints. Wo are accused of 1111- ' fairness when we bring the political argument to bear, but we cannot help being more and more impressed with the fact that Feilding and its back country are being penalised because it is not represented by a Government supporter in Parliament. Wo were hoping that such a sad state of affairs had passed away with the late Premier, and that business methods would supersede political pushfulncss in running the State. ' Perhaps the Premier, the Minister of | Railways, tho Minister of Lands, and the Minister of Education will yet justify this latter hope so far as Feilding and the Main Trunk train , aro concerned. The Chamber of Commerce is to bo commended for ; the prompt manner in which it has taken up this subject, and its committee's action indicates that our business men recognise the impor- J tanco of the matter. At its meeting last night tho Chamber decided to send a strong and representative deputation to Wellington to interview tho Minister of Railways. Tin's i. ; . a wise course to pursue, and the _otnmittee is also doing well in seelv-ng ; to secure tho co-operation of the Wol- j lington Chamber of Commerce. Wei- ! lington derives no small benefit from the Feilding district, and the big sister Chamber should be able to j render valuable service in tho endeavour to prevent the side-tracking of this important agricultural and pastoral district.