TRAIN SPEED.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 269, 6 August 1908, Page 9

TRAIN SPEED.

WELLINGTON-NEW PLYMOUTH LINE.' Replying to -Mr. Okey's request to reduce tho running-timo of tho WellingtonNew Plymouth mail train, the.Minister for Railways said ho would , have pleasure in giving tho question of tho running-timo of tho mail train between Wellington and New Plymouth consideration when- "tho timetablo for tho North Island Main Trunk Railway was 'Under reviow, but ho desired to cnjphas'iso that tho largo number of stopping' places included in tho time-tablo of tho Wellington-New Plymouth express resulted in a great loss of time. Thoro wero no fewer than thirty thrco stopping places in a journey of 252 miles. Tho. average speed of tho train was thirty-five miles an hour. Mr. Okey said that tho'line had been improvod, but tho time-table was-tho samo now as years ago, when timber had to be. picked up all aloug'tho line. The trains had to. hang about tho stations until tho time arrived for them to go. There was no need for stops to lie mado for meals sinco meals could be obtained on tho train. * Speaking on tho samo mattor, Mr.'Major

(Hawera) said th'o result of tlio long stoppages en route meant a great, and —to women travelling Vitli children and luggage—a distressing bustlo at the Wellington end to catch tho Lyttelton boat. The stoppages of sixteen minutes at Aramohp and Palmerston North, could bo reduced to six minutes each, and similarly a speedingup could take place at Hawera.