SPEEDING DP THE EXPRESS

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 15 October 1920, Page 4

SPEEDING DP THE EXPRESS

I : « .—_ HAWERA RETAILERS' VIEWS. The Hawera Retailers' Association considered at its meeting Jast night the proposed changes in th« time-table ■ with a view to speeding up the ex- ! press. ! The president stated that the first train from the north would not, under ! the proposed time-table, reach Hawera before 10.25. j Mr Tihbitts, replying to criticism of the new proposals, said the main idea was to reduce the time in getting to Wellington. Mr Harrop: At present the express stops at a number of small stations, and by cutting these out a lot of time could be saved on a very irksome journey. The effect the suggested changes would have on the Technical School had not cropped up, but he saw no reason vrhy the train should not leave New Plymouth a little earlier than proposed. This would meet the requirements of both towns. The secretary: Twenty-five per cent ef the Technical School pupils come from Eltham. .-•*'*' Mr Harrop said that if the mail train left earlier it could still speed up, and the slow train could, be passed at Stratford instead of Hawera, the iecKnical pupils coming by the mail. Mr Bullock: All that we require is an earlier train from the south. In all other respects. the present timetable is ideal. Children from the south cannot reach Hawera" till 11 o'clock. The-secretary: New Plymouth's proposals do not affect the train from the south at all. The president said they did not want to be too narrow. If the speeding up of the train would save an hour it would be a good thing. Mr Harrop: It should mean a saving of two hours, which, would be a big advantage. Replying to Mr Bullock, the secretary said that the adoption of the proposed alterations would mean that Technical School students from Eltham would go to Stratford instead of Hawera. The secretary also pointed out that they were, overlooking the effect speeding up would have in enabling passengers going to Lyttelton to catch the ferry steamer. At present the mail ; train often missed the boat. j • Mr Westaway moved that the assoj ciation was of the opinion that in no I circumstances should the mail train arrive in Hawera later than at present. This was seconded by Mr Bullock and carried. ! It was decided to send copies of the resolution to Mr McVilly, the Minister for Railways, the Hawera Chamber of Commerce, and the Borough Council.