TRAINS TOO LATE

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 53, Issue 32459, 26 July 1944, Page 5

TRAINS TOO LATE

LOCAL BODIES COMPLAIN THAMES VALLEY SERVICE OHINEMURI COUNTY VIEW Approval was expressed by the Ohineniuri County Council at the July meeting, of a resolution passed by the Hauraki IPlains County Council requesting the Railway Department to speed up the railway service operating between 'Paeroa and 'Frankton Junction, complaints having been made regarding the eratic nature of the train service, which‘was seldom up to sheduled time. It was stated that a member of the Plains- county council, who was also a member o fthe Armed Forces Appeal Board, and -who had to travel as far as Taumaranui, had experienced great inconvenience through the late running of trains. It was specially suggested that the 6.55 a.m., and 5.20.p.m. trains from Paeroa be speeded up. Seldom on Tinie

The chairman, Mr T. A. Barrett, said whether the department was under-staffed, or whatever the reason the trains were certainly seldom up to time, and' the position was certainly very unsatisfactory. Or. J. J. <Shallue said people whose business made it necessary to travel hy train were quite unable to keep their appointments on time. It was

not only a question of understaffing, but of a stortage of coal, and also the quality of the coal. On the motion of the chairman, seconded by Cr. G. A. Avery, it was decided to support the Hauraki Council’s resolution on the matter. SUPPORT IN PAEROA DECISION OF THE COUNCIL When the above letter from the Hauraki Plains County Council came before the July meeting of the Paeroa Borough Council, . the Mayor Mr. Edwin Edwards, said that all knew that trains were running late 'but they were operating under difficulties. The acting town clerk, Mr. A. A. Jenkinson quoted an instance recently when a train took three hours to travel from Morrinsville to Paeroa a distance of 06 miles. Cr. E. iL. Shaw said it all depended on the amount of shunting required to be done on the trip. The Mayor said the expresses were also running late. He had been down to meet trains recently and had found them late.

Cr. H. M. Shand: They are always up to time on Saturdays. It was decided to support the Hauraki Plains resolution.