OUR RAILWAY SERVICE.

Otaki Mail, 5 February 1919, Page 3

OUR RAILWAY SERVICE.

WEEK-END FARES. SUNDAY TRAINS. A requisition, signed by 2(54 bona-fide residents of Pnckakariki district, -that the week-end railway fare in force between prior to the war should be reinstated, was forwarded to the Minister of Railways last month by Mr W. H.. Field, M.P. for Otaki. In a covering letter Mr Field said: —

“As the requisition points out, the cancellation of this privilege has inflicted much increased cost on the | people at Packakariki, as well as on j Wellington residents, and resulted in : serious curtailment of. the railway to--venue. The increase in the fare of 2s 3d to 5s Sd second-class, with corrcs- j ponding increase for first-class, has en- t tailed an addition of_lso per; cent on ; the pro-war fare's. Now that the war | is over, I trust that the Department _ will see its way to return to pre-war j conditions in this respect. I need hardly point out to you how seriously | this matter and the cancellation of the Sunday trains has been affecting the pockets of residents along the Manawatu line, and persons desirous of visit: ing that district. With respect to the

Sunday trains, I understand from you that the railway men themselves wero averse to Sunday work, but M am. informed by rnilwaymen that they arc willing to undertake Sunday labour so long as they arc adequately paid therefor. You will, I think, agree that the. Sunday train to and from Otaki was a highly profitable one, aiid ‘did a great deal to encourage city people to leave the congested town area and make their abode in the more wholesome country-air. The recent epidemic has brotiglit homo to us the vital necessity of encouraging people to live out of town, and I feel sure the railway will, now that the war is at an end, do its utmost to assist towards this very desirable end. I am in hopes that not only will the fares to Paekakariki be j adjusted as asked, and the Sunday trains reinstated, but that the Depart- I ment will at an early date provide a train which will bring people from at least as far as Otaki into Wellington on Monday morning in time for business at 9 a.m.”

The Hon. W. 11. Herries, in reply, wrote that the representations of the Packakariki people relative to weekend fares would receive consideration, and that he was also looking into Mr Field’s desiro for a reinstatement of Sunday trains, and the ruuning of an early train from Otaki to Wellington on Mondavs.- —■■ ‘ Post. ’ ’