NIGHT TRAIN SUGGESTION

Taranaki Daily News, 28 April 1934, Page 10

NIGHT TRAIN SUGGESTION

REPLY TO HAWERA CHAMBER. The suggestion by the Hawera Chamber of Commerce that a night passenger train should be instituted between New Plymouth and Wellington has been the subject of a letter, to the chamber by Mr. G. H. Mackley, general manager of railways. He states that the over-all time of the “down” journey by the suggested service would be 12J hours and on the “up” journey 101 hours, compared with the present day express times cf 94 hours and seven minutes less than ten houis respectively. x- „ “This would not be a very attractive service,” comments Mr. Mackley, “and in view of our experience with the fast night service which we ran for a period in 1930 and which we were forced to discontinue owing to poor patronage, it does not appear that sufficient traffic would be forthcoming at present to warrant the expense involved in providing the suggested • service. The matter of altering the goods trains in the Stratford-Marton area to provide the suggested connection was investigated but this was found no. to be practicable.” It was intimated by Mr. Mackley, however. that the department, when in a position to do so, intended again to experiment with the running of a night train service on the lines of the 1930 venture.

RETURNED MEN PROTEST. DATE OF ANZAC OBSERVANCE. The South Taranaki Returned Soldiers’ Association at the annual meeting last night made a protest against the statement made at a meeting of the Dunedin Manufacturers’ Association suggesting an alteration in the observance of Anzac Day. The association carried unanimously a motion reaffirming its opinion that it was only fitting that all sections of the community should continue to participate ■ in the annual day of remembrance and disapproving of any alteration in the observance. It was suggested by a speaker that in the future it might be desirable to observe Anzac Day on the Monday of the week, which would not break into the middle , of the week. Officers elected were: President, Mr. M. R. Jones; treasurer, Mr. S. R. Veitch; committee, Messrs. W. H. James, J. B. Harrop, D. McCormick, M. J. Squire, A. E. Stevens, M. C. Crichton, L. A. Walters, W. G. Cran, F. C. Foden, Dr. A. M. Young. . The executive was recommended to ask Mr. R. McCay to reconsider his decision’ to resign from the secretaryship. The executive reported that despite a continuance of the difficult economic experiences of recent years, the membership had been comparatively well maintained and the annual accounts disclosed a satisfactory financial position. It should be noted that the formation of three new organisations in South Taranaki’s original territory had materially affected the membership total in comparison with earlier year's. While the membership total showed a drop of 39 during the year, this might be taken as an indication of the more difficult times through which ex-servicemen, in common with other members of the community, had been passing, and it was a matter for congratulationthat the decrease had been confined to such a low margin. At the same time the executive wished to stress that at present interest in ex-servicemen’s associations should be on the increase owing to the valuable work which they were able to carry out and the increasing need for service on behalf of the many men needing assistance, as was shown by the heavy expenditure from tiie various sources of relief administered by the association. In the endeavour to afford relief of distress resulting from unemployment and other causes the association had I during the year disbursed a total ofI £420 4s 2d. Of this the Poppy Day I fund had been drawn on to the extent of £237 8s 2d; canteen and war funds I council had provided £147 14s, and the

National War Funds had furnished £35 2s. As, in the case of the canteen funds grants, the allowances were made on the basis of a subsidy of 5s daily on work carried out by the recipients, and as in all other cases the individual sums disbursed would average less than £l,.the considerable volume of administrative, duties entailed would be readily appreciated. In this department an important step, made during the year was the action of the National War Funds Council • inplacing the administration of : its grants in- South Taranaki under’ the direct control of the association. For the purposes of these funds the area controlled by the association embraced the' districts of Qpunake, Kaponga, Eltham, Manaia, Hawera and Patea. This new scheme came into operation as from March 1, 1934. It would be gratifying to exservicemen to know that under the new system- the full benefit of the'-' monies available went to those needing assistance. The executive wished to record its appreciation of the confidence shown by the executive on the National War Funds Council in reposing this trust in the association. . . As an assembly centre for ex-service-men and their friends, the Returned Soldiers’ Club at Hawera had continued to serve a valuable social purpose. Thanks were due to the members of the social committee for their efforts in providing entertainment, and to the custodian, Mr. H. J. Edwards, who again gave his services gratuitously. The thanks of the association, for valued services, were due to the auditors, Messrs. G. A. Duncan, T. F. McKenzie and F. E. Clarke, to the Hawera branch of the W.N.R., to the Hawera branch of thte Red Cross Society; to the trustees of the Poppy Day Fund, Messrs. E. Dixon and F. Gillanders, and to the Press. The executive also wished to record its appreciation of the continued loyalty shown by ex-servicemen who had supported the association. HAWERA GOLF CLUB. TEAM FOR THE FIRST MATCH. ’ The Hawera Golf Club will play its first inter-club match of the season during this week-end against the Stratford club at Stratford. The team will', be. as follows: W. O’Callaghan, -H. G. Whitehead, L. W. Bishop, M. R. Jones, Sturrock, J. S. Tarfant, J. N. Anderson, D. C. Ryan, R. S. Ward, G-.-S. Fry, R. C. Hey-Mackenzie, C. McDonald, G. H. Ryan, L. F. Potter, W. P. McAnerin* H. P. Vinniconjbe,