Hokitika guardian & evening Star THURSDAY, MARCH 8 1917 THE RAILWAY SERVICES.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 March 1917, Page 2

Hokitika guardian & evening Star THURSDAY, MARCH 8 1917 THE RAILWAY SERVICES.

The interview the Westland Chamber of Commerce had with the District Traffic Manager on Tuesday Digbt in regard to the East and West Coaet railway service, did not promise any immediate result in the direction asked for. What has been sought for a long time past is direct connection on Tuesday and Thursday nights inwards and Satnrday mornings outwards, so that tbe Westland portion of the Coast would get the benefit of the one-day throngh service on the three days of the week. At present on Tuesdays and Thursdays the eervictT stops short at Greymoutb, 24 miles away, and passengers and mails have to remain over night, and'complete the journey the following morning. So, also, at the week-end, to get the benefit of the Satnrday service to Christchurch, passengers and mails have to leave Hokitika the afternoon before to make the connection. To obviate these delays it was suggested that there should be a re adjustment of tbe time-table, first by speeding up the overland service between Christchurch and Greymoutb so as to save at least an hour, and by delaying the afternoon train from Greymoutb to Hokitika by half an hour, enable the through trip to be completed. This arrangement does not mean extra trains or extra mileage, bat the Traffic Manager was able to raise a crop cf Departmental objections which while they might be excuses for failure to comply to the request, do not appear to be fair reasons for the noncompliance with the desire of the whole population of Westland. It is a remarkable case that as the district improves the railway facilities should be-contracted rather than expanded. The local service in point of celerity has gone back since it was first instituted. There is also the fact that although the coach journey has been shortened from two full stages to oue stage of a little over an hour, the journey from Christchurch to Hokitika occupies in time a day and portion of tbe next. The users of the Westland railway system have a good deal to complain of in the matter of time-table arrangements for the reason that tbe services do not link up as they should to give that facility for quick transit which should be provided by railway communication. There are difficulties and delays for through com cetion from Ross to Greymonth, as there are from Reefton to Hokitika,. 01 from all places other

than Greymouth with Otir.i. There is not the practical coordination of the eervices which should obtain whore a through system is possible by railway. Despite this lack of convenience the system is a paying one. Last year revenue increased by £1,660 on the Wrs land section, and it gave a net profit of £65,305. The return was the second best in the Dominion in the matter of earning power in relation to expenditure, so that it will be Been there is some justice in faking improved transit facilities. The Traffic Manager asserts that the trains cantos be speeded np. This is often contrary to praotic?, when time is made up, not only on the overland journey, bnt alsoiu respect to wayside traffic. Even when a record has to be made, as happened a year ago when the Minister of Defenoe had to make a journey to the Coast, tifiins can be bustled along. Passenger's who have occasion to make the journey experience time and again the trials and tribulations of the dreariness of the tripin the matler of waits. Theie are invariably long drawn out delays to ue endured which leave bat little doubt that an hours’a time conld well be eaved in the duration of the journey between Graymiuth and Christchurch. When the coaches were in opposition there was no doubt about the celerity of the intervening jonrney between Otira and Arthur’s Pass, aud the time which could be appropriated out of that section of the trip. Tee whole experience of the journey sicca its eirliesff days suggests that with the railway covering practioslly the whole distance, this portioa of the Coast should be in a more improved position than it is. It was found possible to lmk up Hokitika at one period when the railway termioua was at Case instead of Arthur’s Pass, and it should be much easier now to make the much to be desired and long overdue connection. The people should continue to demand their rights in this matter till at least some measure of justice is done in regard to their reasonable requests.