“UNSATISFACTORY ANSWER”

Northern Advocate, 31 October 1936, Page 8

“UNSATISFACTORY ANSWER”

MINISTER AND NORTHLAND RAILWAYS

The North Auckland Associated Chambers of Commerce has communicated with the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, Minister of Railways, asking that the rail service to Northland be improved as soon as possible. Mr Sullivan’s reply has not met with the chambers’ approval. c

“The existing train service is so designed as to reasonably meet the requirements of the people in the area served and it would not be possible under the present circumstances to accelerate the express trains in either direction,” state the Minister’s letter, which was discussed at the quarterly meeting of the chambers at Kaikohe on Thursday. V

Acceleration of the service could only be brought about by eliminating some of thie stopping places en route, he said.

“Any move in this direction would obviously be resented by the people affected,” he stated, “arid I feel sure that your organisation will appreciate that it would not be in the best interests of the public to act along such lines. While the present traffic does not warrant additional services being provided I may say, however, -that the advent of the rail cars has opened up distinct avenues of affording speedier and more frequent means of transport, and I am hopeful that in due course it will be found possible to better serve the transport requirements.” . . • “I think that you will all agree that this, is not as satisfactory an answer as we expected,” said the president, Mr J. Thornton.

Mr W. Shaw (Kaikohe): They’ve said the same thing for 20 years. Mr Thornton considered that the position would be different when North Auckland got the provincial status programme through. ;When compared with Taranaki, the North had suffered considerably.

“I think the subject is too large to be covered by an ordinary resolution to be sent down to Wellington. A very comprehensive inquiry will have to be undertaken.”

Not Well Served.

Mr Guy (Kaikohe) said that the North’s railway position would have to be compared with districts with equal population, and similar products but which had three times the railway facilities. < Mr Guy thought that the rail scheme would hardly dovetail with the provincial question and should not be shelved until the provincial matter was pushed forward. The president: I wasn’t suggesting that, but I consider that valuable information will come to light from the investigations into the provincial matter.

Mr H. W. Crawford mentioned the fact that there was a distinct difference in the service rendered between Auckland and Wellington and the North and Wellington. With the present service a day had to be spent in Auckland waiting for trains.

The president: We as laymen could set down and work out a time-table as workable as the Parliamentarians.

So far, he said, there had only been a very vague report received concerning when the rail cars would be available. He suggested that the associated chambers could work out a programme.

“Unless you provide facilities you will not get population in your district,” Mr Crawford observed.

Mr Guy moved that the president and the secretary elaborate on the inquiry into the rail service, and forward some definite scheme to the Minister. This proposal was adopted.