THE MAIL TRAIN CUT.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 23 June 1923, Page 6

THE MAIL TRAIN CUT.

i U\S^ CHAMBER OF COM-! MERCE TAKES FURTHER J ACTION. ; The matter of cutting out of certain stopping-places by the amended timetable tor the mail train was again discussed by the council of the Hawera Chamber of Commerce last evening rue secretary (Mr. Sage) reported that the Department had not replied' to the last telegram sent by the Chamber, strongly protesting against the proposed time-table which had been given effect to. i The secretary of the Kaponga and District Chamber of Oommerco wrote to the Hawera Chamber under dale of May 16 last as follows: "I have been directed to write to you promising you' support in the matter of alteration of the ■ new amended time-table and to state the willingness of this' Chamber to join in any concerted action svVch you care to take with other Chambers. : The views of my Chamber on the matter are that the amended time-table has no practical advantage beyond allowing New Plymouth travellers to lie in bed for forty minutes longer. To be of any practical advantage any amendment of the time-table should provide for two things: (a.) A speeding up of the journey to make the same Jess tedious; (b) correspondingly earlier arrival in Wellington to ensure passengers and -mails catching the south boat and for the general convenience of travellers. This Chamber considers that, seeing one hour is saved between New Plymouth and Aramoho, the worst part of the line as regards grades and curves, tvo hours ought to be saved over the whole journey. This, my Chamber considers, could be done by cutting out stops between Aramoho and Wellington, probably the best served part of New Zealand as far as trains are concerned, and not by cutting out stations at this end meagrely served by the Department. As regards the Department's contention that an earlier arrival would not be possible, on account of the suburban trains, we are certain that this is departmental camouflage, as the rsapier express js able to arrive between 5 and 5.30 p.m." ■ Mr. Bennett remarked that this was . a very sensible letter. , A similar letter of protest received from the settlers of Mokoia was also read. I Mr. Douglas, who was in the chair, ! said that the Kaponga Chamber prac- , tically endorsed the opinion of the Hawera Chamber. He noticed by the evening's paper that Mr. McVilly was reported to have replied to the deputai tion which approached the Ministers ; that the stops were cut out at the I request of a conference of the Chambers ; ; of Commerce.. j Mr. Benentt said that this was quite! incorrect, which was a mild way of ' putting it. I Mr. Douglas said he noticed that: ; nothing was said about the congestion ! I of traffic at the other end. • I Mr. Bennett said he noticed that j credit was taken for speeding up so as ! to save 50 minutes on the New Ply- | mouth to Wellington run. Nothing j was said to show that the saving was ; all made on the run from New Plyj mouth to Wanganui. This was calj culat-ed to give quite an erroneous im- | pression. The secretary said there could not be j any question that the speeding np of i the train between New Plymouth and | Hawera was a convenience. He had j experienced that himself. ' Mr- Douglas said that this was so, but the question was the cutting out of stops. Mr. Sellar referred to what the convenience would be if the time was j saved at the other end, and very often , expense also. { Mr. Douglas said that apparently there was nothing in the assertion that j there was an arrangement that Mokoia was to be a stopping-place permanently. ™? YBennett was °"f oPinion that the Chamber should make a further moveit could get plenty of support and it was the body to move. The secretary said that the cha'rman (Mr. Murdoch) had been of opinion ; that the nature of the rer>ly given previously made it useless to proceed ! further. I Mr. Douglas said that the Department certainly alleged than owing to j the heary congestion at the other end j it was impossible to get the train I earlier into Wellington. Mr. Bennett said that even half an hour earlier arrival at Wellington world j have been a great advantage. Ho J thought a, shocking thing had been ' done, and the Department had gone , right out of its way to cause ineon- ' yenience. New Plymouth was inclined to think that New Plymouth was all | laranaki. and the more benefit it re- • ceived the harder it was for others The cutting out of Ball Road was a very ! hard case indeed. ! The secretary said it was very curii ous that a stop.could be made at Normanby, but Ball Road was cut out Mr. Bennett said that the Chamber ! filoll^, endorse the action of the Ball j Koad deputation, who had gone to the j expense of going to Wellington The secretary said that this could { only be done by repudiating the in- { -accurate assertion that the altered • % m£-* abl? WRs requested at a conference ; of Chambers of Commerce ' Mr Bennett asserted that the Chamber had not done what it might, and it should do all it could. In reply £o"Mr. Douglas, the secretary said that the only action the Hawera Chamber had taken in conference wasin relation to speeding-up, -there- had not been any conference f n relation to provincial .interests. This was intended, but the Department had .pushed the matter on and had not jheededL protest; it had even ignored ; the Chamber's bst telegram The mere fact that it had been published in the papers tVat the time-table was at the request of a conference of Cham bers of Commerce had put the backs of Chamber Pe°ple "P against t]ie j Mr. Benentt said that it was quite ■ the reverse, and the statement phnHd be repudiated. He moved that a letter : be sent to this effect, and also enjdorsmg other protests. ! . Mr. Sellar seconded, and the foJlowiii<r resolution was framed: "That a letter be written to the M-iste- of Kailways calling attention to the statement made by the Manager of ."Railways that the alteration in'the time-tsbie j had been made «t the request' of a • conference of Chambers of Comm<W and controverting the statement on th-p-roumls that, while the speeding-up c f the tram was cortninlv askM f nr +i, o oiiestmn_ of meeting the needs of thi, district m the wav of mail Yd ne^ r b Wn sl ,l >TO i t ted to the Chnmber £r.d therefore no (mvjihip Vas eyp™=-<=<-I hy.thfi combined Chambers on *f<nte r ? ; ih« ChainW.• having been H all t.i m «»s i aTmnst cuttins: n»t necessnrv Hops to serve corn try riUtHcts. pl so heo-s to ,~,rj n^ the O f t ,>,, r ] e nf 7J 'vho ore +i>e inconvenience ,or the present per-<'ire."