The Feilding Star. THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 1892. Railway Reforms

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 90, 28 January 1892, Page 2

The Feilding Star. THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 1892. Railway Reforms

In the opinion of many of the travelling public, the time has now arrived when there should be a change in our railway service so far as regards running mixed trains. The passenger traffic on the line betweon Wellington and Wanganui has been largely increased since the opening of the line through to Napier. The traffic in wool, goods, and live stock has also increased enormously. The mail trains to and from Wellington at least should be devoted to the carriage of passengers and mails only. The revenue from these two sources, to which would be added the parcels

and luggage charges, would be mote than sufficient to cover all expenses. The extra speed, and the time thus sayed, would encourage still more people to uae the railway if such increased facilities for travelling were given them. We are also aware that if goods trains were put on, of course with a passenger carriage if required, the service in this respect would be much improved, and there is great room for thia if we may iudge by the frequent complaints we hear from time to time from consignees, of the irritating delays which are continually taking place in the delivery of goods or parcels. It is understood that the officials are seldom responsible for these causes of complaint, because the fault lies in the system, not in the men who have to carry it out. As a case in point, justifying our contention against the mixed trains, we may instance the mail train on Tuesday afternoon for Wellington. Connected with this were a number of pig and sheep trucks, as well as goods vans with wool and other articles of produce, certainly the longest train that ever left the Feilding station. The effluvium from the trucks containing the live animals pervaded every carriage, and was disgustingly offensive. Of course it may be said that this happens very seldom, but that is, after all, not a valid excuse. The thing should not happen at all. That there possibly might be a difficulty with the Wellington Manawatu Railway Company we admit, but even that could be overcome by the exercise of that firmness and tact which the Government Eailway Commissioners have Bhown on previous occasions they can employ. Fbom a return published in the Gazette of the 15th instant we learn that the printing establishments in the colony, when the last census was taken, numbered 142. They employed 2373 males and 196 females, who were paid in wages £207,067 and £7112 respectively. The machine power used was steam 21, water 22, gas 44, horse 1, hand 60. Total amount of horse power 328. Value of all produce for 1890 £354,569. The approximate value of their land was £71,366. Buildings £96,542. Machinery and plant £173,775. The values of produce, land, and buildings were not stated in several cases.