L. A. MARGAN.]

19

I.—6a.

point is that, with the traffic at New Lynn at the present time, the Department has been unfair to the people of New Lynn and the travelling public generally, and the Department should do something to bring about a more satisfactory state of affairs. During the last four years the traffic has increased enormously at the station. The brickworks with which I am personally connected have an output of something like 100 tons per day. We have an output from those works of something like 100 tons a day on an average, and we get in on an average something like 150 tons of coal a fortnight: this is for one business alone. Then there is another large works that is turning out 35,000 bricks daily, and there they also take in large quantities of coal. I dare say they would take in on an average something like 150 tons of coal a fortnight. Then we have the Avondale Brick and Pottery Works ; that is a place situated between Nexv Lynn and Avondale, but the whole of the traffic for it is conducted through New Lynn. In addition we have the tannery, and all tlie traffic to and from it is conducted through the New Lynn Station. At the present time we arc handling also something like 4,000 tons of pipes for the City Council. They also are coming into New Lynn ; and with this amount of traffic I consider, as a man who has actually witnessed the working of the station daily for the last seven years, that the accommodation at the station is entirely inadequate. I have seen the train come into New Lynn, and when the engine was on the main lino at one end of the station the back end of the train was on tho main line at the other end of the station. Ido not think that state of things should exist. When shunting operations take place the siding accommodation is very small, and in marshalling the trains the officials are compelled to trespass on the main line all the time. Many a time when the eiie-ine has been on the north side of the station the train has been what they call "hung up on the stick." 1 am not in a position to say what was the cause of the accident, but I am in a position to state that on this particular morning there was a fog in that valley, and I am in a position to say that the rails xvere exceedingly greasy with dew. Whether the man had control over the engine or whether he did not the accident occurred, and I consider that had the deputations been listened to that waited on the Minister and also communicated with the Railway Department this state of affairs would have been altered. As a. member of the Town Board I have taken a keen interest in the affairs of New Lynn for the past few years, and I have, been one of those who have waited on the various Ministers and had to do with the writing of different lettoi s requesting that attention should be given to the conditions that existed. I am not in a position to say that the Department ignored us entirely, or whether it was from lack of funds —I know that all these things have to be taken into consideration; but the impression left upon the minds of the members of the Town Board was that the Department had side-tracked us. The replies that we got were that the Department was looking into the matter. With regard to an island platform, personally I am in favour of it, but it will not do the great amount of g 1 that the people imagine as far as the shunting is concerned, [f the safety of the travelling public is the first consideration, I think it is the duty of the Department to bring about conditions that will make that safety more assured, as, for instance, by having an island platform. When you take into consideration that we are only a short distance out from the town, and that there are cheap fares and that sort of thing, you will understand that there are a fair number of people travelling to and fro in the trains. The argument that has been put before the Railway Department for an island platform is that it would save the hardship of people having to crawl through one train to get into another. When the outward-bound train comes into the station and the inward-bound train is on the platform side, the people have to scramble through the inward train to get to and from the other. There is always a risk when people cross the line of their being knocked down or cut into pieces. The week following the New Lynn accident —I think it was the week following —a man was getting out of the train at Avondale —an elderly man—and he crossed from the inward train on to the platform, with the result that the next train came in and cut him to pieces. That is a state of affairs that we do not xvant to see exist in New Zealand. The time has arrived when New Lynn should have something done to help it in this respect. I would also recommend for the consideration of the Committee that xve should have more accommodation for the goods-train shunting. If accommodation werje there, in the shape of a dead end or something of that sort, the engines would not have to play up and down the main line as they have at present. The trains should be stopped from shunting on the main line, especially when incoming passenger-trains are about to arrive. Coming to ihe overwork at the station, when these trains are crossing and a man is stationed at the station his duty is to issue tickets and to attend to his tablet. I do not know whether that man is supposed to look after the points or not, but I have witnessed the crossing of trains on several occasions and I have noticed a considerable rushing to and fro by the porter, who appears to have his work cut out. While lie has been issuing tickets I have seen him have to run away and attend to his tablet and then rush back to his tickets, and then perhaps rush out and shout out to somebody to ask whether the points were turned or something else. I consider that the man is quite overxvorked at particular times. The Town Board took the matter up and wrote to the Hon. Mr. Millar, and the reply was that tho matter was being looked into. As late as, I think, the 4th March we wrote to the Railxvay Department asking that a Stationmaster be employed at New Lynn, and pointing out the existing dangers, especially when the train was going to take water at the tank. The reply was the same —that the Department is looking into the matter. Just prior to the Ward Government going out of poxver a deputation, of which I was one, waited on the Hon. Mr. Millar, xvho was at that time Minister of Railways, and pointed out to him this particular curve which is so much talked about, and showed him how sight of the station was obscured when the trains were approaching. It is almost impossible to see the station till you are right at the station-door. We pointed out this danger and we requested him to give us more accommodation. Some of the members spoke about the island platform, and old Mr. John Gardiner said to the Minister, " If something is not done an accident will occu;