GREYMOUTH NEEDS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10769, 15 May 1913, Page 1

GREYMOUTH NEEDS.

DEPUTATION TO MR HEERIES. [Fbom Our Correspondent.] GREYMOUTH, May 14. This afternoon a deputation from the Greymouth Chamber of Commerce waited on tho Minister of Railways to urge that the railway line from Greymouth to Otira should be fenced, especially at such places as that at which the recent accident took place. In making the representations which the deputation wished to lay before the Minister, Sir Arthur Guinness also asked that a shelter room should be erected at Otira, that the Department should consider the fiuestion of putting the -Westinghouse brake on the express trains and also of running trains from Cass to Klondyke as scon as that section of tho line was-handed over to the Railway Department by the Public Works Department. Mr M'Lean also urged that the Cass-Klondyke section should bo opened as soon as possible and also that an alteration should be made so as to connect at Lyttelton with the steamer for Wellington. Another point was the irregularity of the mail service with Wellington. What the people of the district wanted was to get into closer touch with the larger centres. »

Mr Hemes, in replying, said that the question of fencing the line wns'one of expense, but it would be considered. The matter of the Westinghouse brake was also one of expense. Perhaps they could be installed on the engines alone this year. To put them on the carriages and trucks was another question, and the whole thing devolved upon the cost. As to the overland service, the Railway Department did not intend to take'over an uncompleted line, but the Public Works Department might arrange to carry passengers as far as possible. As to connecting at Lyttelton, that would be done when the new boat was on and the extension of the line opened. In reply to Sir Arthur Guinness, the Minister said that the matter of delaying the West Coast train for the arrival of the s.s. Maori was a big question, as it might upset the entire train arrangements, thus causing an outcry in Dunedin and Invercargill. The whole affair depended on the train arrangements. If it threw out the other trains a delay would be impossible. Mr Ronayne advised Sir Arthur Guinness to use his influence with the Union ConTpany to burn a little more coal on the Maori and the likelihood of missing the connection would be minimised.