QUITE INADEQUATE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26772, 15 May 1948, Page 6

QUITE INADEQUATE

Passenger Service to Central Otago CASE FOR RAILCAR PRIORITY Special Reporter ALEXANDRA, May 14. Forty-five years ago the rail passenger service to Central Otago was better than the present service, both in incidence of trains and time taken in covering the route. In the hope of remedying this paradoxical position Central Otago branches of Federated Farmers have been active in promoting any schemes which might be expected to be of ultimate assistance. It was for this purpose that a oommittec of this organisation convened a meeting in Alexandra to-day at which representatives of city organisations were present aicd the final decision was to send forward a joint deputation to bring the whole question of improvements in the Central Otago transport service to the attention of the Minister during Winter Show week in Dunedin. Railcars, in the opinion of the conveners and the meeting, would solve the passenger transport question admirably and it is hoped to have the fullest -possible backing for advancing the claims of Central Otago to priority in the allocation of railcars as they become available.

A resume of the position was given by Mr L. Barrett, chairman of the convening Committee. Prior to 1945, he said, a daily Dunedin-Cromwell service had operated, but this had dwindled to the uneven ratio of three weekly passenger trains to 21 freight trains. As a result Central Otago residents were forced to accept three days as the minimum in which they could visit Dunedin and return under the existing arrangements; yet the bus services permitted single day visits to Gore or Invercargill, or two-day visits to Oamaru. Dunedin, however, was regarded as the provincial centre, and if it were possible—and it was essential to maintain business associations there—it was preferred that they should be maintained sooner than transferring the back country’s business outlet to some other centre. The remedy lay in a full railcar service to Dunedin, said Mr Barrett. There was no question of the present efficiency of the Railways Department. The best possible service was being given under the existing conditions, but coal staff and rolling stock were all in short supply. Railcars would assist in releasing all three. It was obvious that the future of Dunedin was closely integrated with the future of its province, but it was useless endeavouring to open up the hinterland without adequate rail transport. The farmers, he said, were front line troops in the attack on the land from which the province’s wealth was wrested, but it was useless having front line troops unless they had efficient lines of communication. Thenproduce and the produce of the orchardists with whom they were allied must be got to the city as speedily as possible without wastage caused by delays. In addition, it was absolutely necessary that they should have facilities offering to permit the swift transaction of business in the city. Buses Not the Solution

ful engines had not improved matters. Mr Partridge suggested that the interested parties should press for an immediate start in the electrification of the entire line. By the time this work was completed power would be available. It would be ridiculous to wait 10 years until Central Otago’s major power schemes were in operation before making a start in such a project. This would only mean that the whole system would still be years behind. Effect on Fruitgrowers The interests of the fruitgrowers and farmers were advanced by several representatives. The orchardists pointed out that they were affected even more than the fat lamb growers—unless appropriate, immediate, and swift transport was available when produce was offering the result could be total loss for the orchardists against partial loss for the lamb producers. A revival of the night train had been sought for years, but, unsuccessfully. City representatives, including the Mayor, Mr Cameron, Crs Ireland, Barnes and Armitage, the town clerk. Mr Johnston, Mr W. R. Clark (Harbour Board), Mr M. Myers (Regional Planning Council and Dunedin Development Council), and G. J. Errington (Expansion League), all expressed entire sympathy with the representations of Central Otago organisations and stressed the fact that the city and the province’s interests were indivisible. Mr S. G. Howie, district railways traffic manager, expressed his personal opinion that the meeting was on the right lines with the desire for a railcar service, but he stated that in view of the fact that the intention was to approach the Minister he was not competent to comment further. The average numbers of passengers on the line showed over the years that they could be coped with- adequately by a railcar service.

As far as the freight service was concerned he had no apologies. The service was being given to the best of the department’s ability, as whenever loads offered special trains were run. Operating costs on the line were heavy as the grades limited the maximum load to 213 tons. To give an idea how demands on the line had grown in two decades, he submitted detailed figures. Sheep traffic, for instance, had grown from 185,000 in 1926 to 474,000 in 1947. and in spite of shortages of staff and rolling stock the department had succeeded in moving these heavy speedily even during peak periods. The question of reinstating night trams was wrapped up in the question of staff. Night trains would necessitate nearly every station in Central Otago being staffed 24 hours a day and staff was simply not procurable. . After a lengthy discussion it was decided to pass a resolution: — “That the Government be urged to establish a railcar service for Central Otago without delay and that the meeting appoint a delegation to meet the Minister of Railways in Dunedin during Show Week with a view to advancing Central Otago transport problems.” , A representative delegation, naif town and half country, was formed.

Mr W. A. Bodkin, M.P., stated that the position was worse now than 45 years ago. Admittedly buses were now operating, but it was impossible to expect that buses would ever take the place of rail. Overcrowding, the difficulties of reservation, and a far higher incidence of travel sickness among road passengers, were three features to back this assertion. He did not think daily passenger trains would return because of coal and staff shortages, but railcars would be the perfect answer. He understood that there were a considerable number of railcar chassis on order and-a major allocation should come to Central Otago together with the Mosgiel and Port Chalmers lines. If the numbers of chassis on order were insufficient it was the province’s duty to keep at the Government until they were procured. The province of Otago had been sleeping and great development was impossible in the city without a corresponding development in the proThe Mayor of Cromwell, Mr W. Partridge, recalled that a railcar scheme had been advanced years ago when the Minister of Works, Mr Semple, promised that as soon as components were’ available a railcar would be put on the Central Otago line. The matter was not pushed during the war as the difficulties were realised, but the war had been ended for some time and the province’s ambition seemed no closer to fulfilment. Apart from the reduction in the numbers of passenger trains, the deterioration was more marked by the fact that 23 years ago the schedule for the run had been 30 minutes faster. Track improvements and more power-