BETTER RAILWAY FACILITIES

Manawatu Times, Volume LII, Issue 3527, 17 June 1927, Page 12

BETTER RAILWAY FACILITIES

REQUIRED FOR MANAWATU A. and i*. SHOWS. "That better railway facilities be arranged for the A. and P. Winter and Spring Shows,” was the subject matter of a request to the Railway Commercial Officer, Mr D. Rodie from the A. and P .Association yesterday. Mr J. A. Nash, M.P., on behalf of the Association said that Manawatuhad not received the same consideration regarding a special train service as had the Waikato Association. Manawatu had the largest shows in New Zealand both in the winter and spring. He would ask the Railway Department on behalf of the A. and P. Association to give them the consideration to which they were justly entitled. Ho recognised that it was not a fair thing to jump on tho Railway Department now', as it was too late for anything to be done for this show but he w'ould ask Mr Rodie to consider ,the matter favourably for future shows, so that by tho time the next show came round, the Manawatu Association would be placed on the same footing as the Waikato Association. The request the Manawatu Association desired to make was for excursion fares for farmers from not only Waikato, but from Taranaki also, to be carried out on the same lines as the Waikato privileges. The Association thanked the Rallw'ay Department for the concessions already granted within a certain radius, but they were not enough, anffi.lnaddl'tion to the request made to have them as far afield as Waikato and Taranaki, he wished the excursions to bo extended to the South Island. When the Association had previously asked the Department for excursion fares from the South Island they had been met with the reply that if «uch a thing were done people would take advantage of the excursion to go to Wellington only. Mr Nash saw no reason why the tickets could not be Issued, provided that the ticket was sold for a journey to end at Palmerston North. In conclusion, Mr Nash asked Mr Rodie to give the matter his earnest consideration Mr. Rodie Sympathetic. Mr D. Rodie said that he was impressed with the size of the show and was interested in all ho had seen. He desired to remove the impression that Palmerston North had not had a fair run, and he would come to some amicable arrangement with Mr W. Penny. The proposals had been mooted too late for them to be put into effect in time for the present show. The proposals involved a great dear of labour and necessitated the sending out of circulars to the farmers and also making personal calls on them, finding out the accommodation required, and also the tariff. Re promised to arrange with Mr Penny at least four months ahead of the next Show the best methods for a train service, not only from Waikato and Taranaki but also from Hawke's Bay. Anything novel which was suggested. would be given a trial provided it was at all workable. He would like to look Into the matter of the South Island excursion faros before giving any decision. The success of the Manawatu A. and P. Association was already assured, and he assured the committee that tho Railway Department would do all in its power to further the interests of the Society. Mr L. H .Collinson, president of the Association returned thanks for tho hearing accorded the committee and Messrs Pringle and Rodie were given a vote of thanks carried by acclamation.