EXPRESS TO NORTH

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 673, 27 May 1929, Page 10

EXPRESS TO NORTH

NO ALTERATIONS IN TIMETABLE FINALISED MINISTER AND DEPUTATION £ i i (Prom Our Own Correspondent) f WHANGAREI, Today. I A deputation representing the 0 Whangaroa County Council (Mr. J. c H. Lane), the Whangarei County Council (Mr. W. H. Hayward), and the t Chamber of Commerce (Mr. J. E. r Holmes) waited on the Minister of r Railways, the Hon. W. B. Taverner, , yesterday morning concerning the pro- 1 posed alteration of the railway timetable of the Whangarei-Auckland express*. Mr. A. J. Murdoch, M.P.. briefly outlined the facts which had necessitate I the deputation. Mr. Hayward said that at present the express arrived in Whangarei at 3 p.m., and mails from that train had to be carried a distance of 30 miles. If the train arrived later there would be a corresponding delay in the mail delivery. Many people travelling on that train lived in the country, and as the roads were not as good as they might be it would be a difficult matter for them to arrive home before dark. Mr. Holmes wished to know the feeling of the department on the question. Mr. Lane said he would like to see the present train speeded up if possible. The Minister thanked the deputation for the cordial welcome lie had received, and said he looked forward to the time when he could spend more time and get acquainted with the Northern transport question more fully. Regarding the alteration of the time-table, he said the North was a victim of the report circulated without authority that his department had dealt with the Rotorua and Bay of Plenty service, but not with that of the North, where they wanted to give a better service if possible. As yet he had not seen the draft for "the Northern railway, and would not know anything definite until Mr. Sterling returned from Australia. It was quite probable that the draft would be finalised in five or six weeks, which would give local bodies ample time to mak® any recommendations they wished. He knew there was a demand for faster travel, but they had a competent staff at the head of affairs, and everything possible would l>e done.