RAILWAY MUDDLEMENT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 783, 5 April 1910, Page 7

RAILWAY MUDDLEMENT.

Sir,—ln The Dominion of April 2, I was interested to read a reprint o"f an article irom the "New Zealand Herald", on the amazing system of the Auckland suburban , railways. That ;the "shadow of Wellington head office management hangs over- it, with its consequent bungle," I am only too prepared to admit, Unfortunately, we Wellington suburban passengers are in no hotter i position with regard to our railway traffic than our Auckland friends. In fact, we are much worse off when 'thevery inadeqnato T accommodation' of our railway stations (2) are compared to the superior building 'which you enioy in the north. . ■ ■ .: • , ■ " '

Our railway executive, who are themselves housed in a ;palatial edifice, seem t<? ignore the. fact the'railways' are. intended for the benefit and convenience of the public. ' ' . '• After a howl ,of. indignation from the districts of New Plymouth, Wanganui, Napier, and Wairarapa at the recent alteration in the time-table, the authorities have in most cases reverted to the'bid time-table from April 1. One'would -tliink this was an opportunity for the. compilers of revising and improving the times of running; but no suonthing;e.g., the 7.4.3 a.m. train from Upper Hutt :now, takes 54 minutes from' the'time'it starts till the time it leaves the Lower Hutt—a distance of 12 miles—for Wellington, whereas on the previous time-table the same running :only .occupied 47 minutes. During a.period of 15 years there, has. been no improvement in the time .of running on this 20 miles pf Wellington's principal suburban, line,. not, withstanding the large increase-in the passenger traffic; whilst harassing and; apparently unnecessary ohanging is .imposed on passengers at the Hutt station on shelterless .platforms." Chambers of Commerce, and deputations all over the country ' have drawn tho attention of the Minister to tho necessity of improvements in the running and management of our railways, but without effect. Who is responsible for this supineness or incompe.tency?—l am, etc., ' ■' A PUZZLED PASSENGER. Wellington, April i, 1910. '