SUBURBAN TRAINS.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2454, 6 May 1915, Page 8

SUBURBAN TRAINS.

Sir—Will you kindly allow me space to present some facts which will serve to illustrate the ghastly arrangements of the train service from the suburb of Ngaio, the first station from Thorndon ? Principally I will confine my remarks to tlie 8.30 a.m. train therefrom. The inconsistencies of this particular train both as to its punctuality and its exact location (the latter refers to the side upon which it finally alights) would bo truly amusing to those who have the time to await its glorious uncertainties; but to those who have to obtain their livelihood and are thus dependent upon the said train, its vagaries are most unwelcome. One never knows what to do under existing Circumstances. One has first to wait, watch to see which side one's train is coming, and then tliere is a vast scuttling of people boarding their respective trains at the risk, it may be sometime, of their lives. (The other week a man had his ankle smashed through crossing over, when the train tjiovod, and just caught him.) Finally, the" train arrives in Wellington, or at least Thorndon, which is considerably over a mile from the centre of the city, just five minutes late. This 13 the jjeneral rule; sometimes it is seven minutes late, sometimes less, but very rarely punctual. This unpunctual-. tty'is particularly exasperating when one just misses a certain car or boat that one should be able to catch had the train arrived at its scheduled time. Surely something could be done to control these contingencies which, I feel «ure, are unprecedented in any civilised' part of the world. .The lack of a suitable and central station at Wellington undoubtedly accounts for tho very primitive conditions which now obtain' at the Thorndon station, and the unfortunate suburban stations therefrom. Thanking you—l am', etc., VICTIM. May 5, 1915.