THE NEW RAILWAY TIME-TABLE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 684, 8 December 1909, Page 8

THE NEW RAILWAY TIME-TABLE.

,-, INCKEASINQ. DISSATISFACTION: •■;: ' ..'. (3y Tclecra'ph.—Special Correspondent.], • Napier, December 7., L ' The-,protests against_ the, new..railway timetable are multiplying in number, and increasing in intensity. -The new. service commenced on Monday, and the experiences of a traveller on that day make interesting reading.; :. ;-, "The feeling for the most part,", said fa Napier business man, who was. interviewed - this morning, "is one of general indignation'at tho extreme inconvenience 'and the indefensible •loss : The 'way .tho'time-table is'frametf causes annoy-■-.WPO,- hjck'p.fj op;ntjn.jiity' between; .-■the serVices'tandi.the- Awkwardness, in,the times of arrival arid departure. In contradistinctionto the large volume of complaints,.there are, .however; one pi; two.exceptions. .'For- instance,-, brio gentleman 'who' left Napier,'by",the..early, morning train was, able to transact his business in Palmerston North and return, the same night. This was, impossible before, arid is'the one gleam of sunshine in a:very gloomy situation. -~ ..'.-■ ':' •'• ' , "Daniievirke .people," ;he ./.proceeded, "are very well, pleased for the most part.'. The service suits them very fairly, except for long distanco travelling. Examples of the inconvenience in the running of the Main frunk.express from Auckland are not wanting. There is great complaint at having to wait three .hours in the broiling hot sun at Palmerston, trudging about the streets instead of going straight on as previously, /arid arriving hore at 6.50 .p.m. After wasting these three hours Napier, is not' reached until; 9.20 p.m. That brings me-toan- important point.'- Wo arrived last night at 9.15 p.mi, five, minutes early, in spite; of the' fact, thatwe lost'nearly an "hour waiting for a .sheep train, showing how easily this train conld be speeded up., There was no earthly reason why it (should have taken so long. : Passengers going 'north to Aucklarid left here an. hour and a quarter and reached .Palmerston at 1. o'clock, and had ■to wait until .3.30. p.m. for the north;express. ■Here is awaitof'2l hours! where previously there was. no delay. Those desirous to go-to New.Plymouth direct were enabled to connect :with' the, mail train,- but there were "no passengers- from Hawke's Bay. who' desired, this connection; which does not appear to : be worth .having..:. The' Main Trunk'.' connec-', tron seems to be the desideratum." . ■