THE SECOND EXPRESS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1671, 11 February 1913, Page 8

THE SECOND EXPRESS.

AN AUCKLAND OPINION. (By TelezrapU.—Special Correspondent.) Auckland, February 10. Commenting upon the reported > intention, of tho Government, to. cut out tho second Main Trunk express after Easter, the president of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce (Mr. G. who was seen by a reporter, said that tho double service had been found very , useful indeed by tho business pcoplo of Auckland, and ho thought it would be' distinctly inconvenient lor the midday express from Auckland and. tho night express from Wellington to be withdrawn. The matter of railway services, Mr. Elliott said, 6hould bo looked upon on a broad principle. It was ridiculous to say that because' this particular express did not show a profit it 6liould bo dropped. Tho Department's own figures fhowed that as a. whole the North Island' railways 'paid remarkably well, especially when' coni-, pared witlu tho South Island lines. Tho Department for soiho years had run a double express. service between Christchurch and Invercargill, and tho claims of the . North Island respecting an efficient service between Auckland and Wellington were perfectly justifiable. Just because tho extra express was not showing a gain, tho. Department was not justified in looking'at this train's own traffic. Tho branch lines which tho" express fed, and the growing demands of fho two cities should be considered. .The train from Auckland at noon had boon of great benefit to tho stations immediately south of Auckland, and extra mail between Auckland and tho capital city had teen a boon to business men at both ends.

"The question should' bo looked upon broadly," concluded Mr. Elliott. "The Department should nsk itself not whether tliis particular truin pays or not, but whether the wliolo of the North Island .trains nro'showing a profit. This is nt present the case regarding the northern services, and 1 thin!; it will ho a mistalco to reduce tho service, even if the extra expresses do not pay handsomely now. I think it will bo only a matter of a very short whilo before they becomo an absolute necessity."