THE RAILWAYS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2232, 21 September 1889, Page 2

THE RAILWAYS.

It is evident that the convenience of the public is to have no more consideration from the Railway Commissioners than it previously had from the Government. We had this week an instance of "how not to do it," which was worthy of the most antiquated times of red tape. Races were held at Timaru on Thursday and Friday, and special train arrangements were announced. To give due credit to the department, it must be said that return tickets at Saturday fares were issued from the day before until three days after the races, but it is the train service of which we complain. Firstly, on Thursday, by dint of starting from Christchurch at a quarter to eight passengers were enabled to reach the Washdyko racecourse m time for tho first race, the journey of some 97 miles being . accomplished m four and a half hours ; but on the second day oven this facility was denied to the public, and we think only one passenger from the north went by rail to that day's races, To return north on either day the coarse had to be left at 4 20 —long before the racing was finished — and intending passengers had to wait something like half an hour at Timaru to join the express, visitors on the second day having thus two hours at the racecourse. Now, this seems a most unnecessary withholding of facilities which might easily have been granted. The races were held, people were anxious to attend them, yet mean* of travelling were denied. If even the train from. Christchurch on Friday had been accelerated as on the previous day, and the express had stopped at Washdyke m the evenings, as it formerly did on those occasions, the public would have been fairly served, and surely tbe strain upon the department would not have been beyond bearing. The fares were also regulated m a most anomalous way. Passengers who booked at Christchqrch were charged, first class, £1, while the large body of racing men who joined the train at Bockburn and Hornby were made to pay about 6s more. This would make it seem that the Rail- j way Commissioners hold that the greater does not include the less. We hope to see some day, gome common sense evinced m making arrangements for special traffic. Certainly there was none m those of which we have written.