Our Railway

Northland Age, Volume 27, Issue 41, 26 October 1927, Page 3

Our Railway

Recen'ly in Parliament Colonel Allen Bell. M.P., put the following question to the Minister of Railways: Whether he has yet investigated the proposal to immediately run a daily express train service between Opua, Okaihau, and Auckland, speeding up the two daily expresses between Whangarei and Auckland by approximately an hour, and eliminating the extra cost of a daily service by cutting out five of the existing trains each week ? [Note.—A heavy loss in passenger traffic is being made on the OkaihauOtiria section owing to the fact that it is quicker to travel by motor from Kaitaia and district and join the train at Otiria, although the extra distance to be travelled as compared with Okaihau is fifty two miles. Even with the completion of metalling of the highway between Okaihau and Kaitaia the loss of passenger traffic will continue unless a through and more expeditious service is provided.] Reply:

The Right Hon. Mr Coates (Minister of Railways) replied, The question of improving the train service in the North Auckland district is now under consideration, but the arrangements are not yet completed. The running of the Opua-Auckland express trains daily during the summer months instead of tri-

weekly is under review, also adjustments in the Okaihau-Otiria area. I shall be pleased to give

the honourable member full details as soon as the matter is finalized. I may at this stage mention that no speeding up of the present time-schedules for the express trains is contemplated. These trains are already running practically at the maximum permissible speeds, and any curtailment in the times could be made only by the elimination of intermediate stops, which is not considered desirable.