LOCAL MATTERS IN PARLIAMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2950, 28 September 1910, Page 13

LOCAL MATTERS IN PARLIAMENT.

REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) ! WELLINGTON, September 21. In fche House to-day the Hon. Mr i Millar, in reply to Mr Clark, said : I I regret I cannot comply with the request to stop the express trains at Waikouaiti. There are many other townships of equal I importance situated along the Tailway route at which express trains do not now stop. Any concession made in con- ; nection with Waikouaiti would require 1 to be extended to these places, and in i tne end the journey time of the expresses ' would have to be increased to allow the frequent stops. It must be recognised that the primary object of running fast trains is to serve long distance passengers. .Local traffic is provided for by mixed trains .'un at convenient times during the day. In this respect the requirements of Waikouaiti are very well catered for, but the conveyance of what is purely local traffic on through trains would result in inconvenience and dissatisfaction to the majority of the passengers using the long-distance trains, and in these circumstances it is not practicable to make any alteration in the direction of. increasing the stops. Mr Scott asked the Minister of Railways whether he will arrange to have a heavier engine put on the WaipahiEdievale branch to replace the present small engine, which is utterly unable to cope with the traffic on that branch. The Minister replied: I am aware that the engine at present running on the Tapanui branch is occasionally unable to tike the whole of the traffic offering at the moment. Arrangements are, however, invariably made to meet the circumstances. The question of increasing the engine power will be borne . in mind and dealt with as soon as an 1 opportunity offers. Consequent on the completion of the heavier class of locomotives now being built in the Railway Workshops and under contract. ; Mr Hanan asked the Prime Minister . whether he intended to introduce the bill providing, inter alia, for a wider repre- . sentation on the Otajro ITniversity Coun- } cil. Sir Joseph Ward said : I will give i the suggestion careful consideration. | Mr J. C. Thomson asked the Minister ' of Lands when it was proposed to open certain township lands on the east and west banks of the Waiau River at Tuatapere. ! The reply was : Thirteen sections on ' the west side of the Waiau River have 1 already been surveyed and are about ■ to be "onened for selection in November next. They comprise 174 acres of land intended for occupation bv workmen in the vicinity of Tuabipere Ferry. On the east side of the river 30 quarter-acre ' sections are being surveyed, but the bush : on them is proposed to be felled prior to their being; opened for selection. They i will be available at a later date. Mr Scott asked the Minister of Public , Works whether he intended to have the I work of raisins the embankment of the ! Greenland swairm dam carried out during , the comine; summer. | The Minister replied : The whole ouestion of n-oviding water _ for irrigation and mining purposes in Central ; Otago is now under consideration, and ; the advisability of dealing with the rais- | ing of tf.e Greenland swamp dam will be ' considered in connection with the pro- ' posed scheme.