MANAWATU RAILWAY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12077, 22 September 1902, Page 5

MANAWATU RAILWAY.

STATEMENT BY SIR J. WARD. [31 T .! :G K A I'H. — FRKSS ArISOraATIOJT.]

We i.i.ikctox, Saturday. A UKPUT.HTION waited on Sir J. Waul today, complaining about the inefficiency of suburban traffic on the ManawatU railway. Sir J. Ward promised to try and induce the company to improve the service, but pointed out that he could not compel it to run more trains, as the company bad an undoubted right to manage its own business in the interest of the shareholders. His experience of Government lines led him to believe the company would bo doing the proper tiling to provide a proper suburban service. If the Government had the line it would immediately provide the service asked tor. Sir J. Ward went on to say he had been strongly in favour of the Government having running rights over the Manawatu line, so as to run through to New Plymouth. He had been urging that for some time, and hoped they would arrive at ait agreement to bring ir. about. If it was arranged, it would give an increased service to New Plymouth, and certainly to Pahnerston. That, however, would he quite irrespective of any f-fjutrate suburban service such as was now being urged. lie was trying to arrange an agreement that would make the service on the lino a very much belter one than if. was now. He hoped the company would see it was to its advantage to come to a fair arrangement.