The Guardian (And Evening star,with which is in-Corporate the west coast Times.) MONDAY, JULY 30th. 1923 THETRAIN SERVICE.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 July 1923, Page 2

The Guardian (And Evening star,with which is inCorporate the west coast Times.) MONDAY, JULY 30th. 1923 THETRAIN SERVICE.

? Tun altered train service proposed as a 5 result of the opening of the through j Midland Railway in a weeks’ time, api pears to have its limitations as far as ! this district is concerned. From what has been published “express” trains sro to run only from and to Greymouth. Apparently the “slow’’ train services which obtains between Greymouth and Hokitika, is to be continued. This will not popularise the train journey and will lead to motor ears continuing to compete successfully with the train from Otira to Hokitika as heretofore. Unless there is a close connection by a reasonable service between Hokitika, and Greymouth, the motor cars will soon assert themselves, and the railways will lose a considerable amount of revenue. A well organised motor service should be able to land passengers from Otira in Hokitika almost as soon as the train reaches Greymouth, and if this becomes regularly established the public will quickly get into the way of patronising the quicker service and so save a. couple of hours on the long journey. As far ns the time table has been published it appears that the train is to leave Greymouth tit. 10.15 n.m. on the through running days to Christchurch. But passengers from this end by train, it is said, will require to leave here before 8 o'clock. The motor service could certainly rut two hours off such a penalising timetable for Hokitika, and no doubt the competition may he expected. In the same wav on the return journey, although the Christchurch train will be due in Greymouth at 4.15, nnother two hours or more will lie required to complete the trip to Hokitika. The short GreymoutbHokitika service has the reputation of running well behind time, ns has been demonstrated by the evening trains during mast of last. week. Again on this inward run, the motor cars will be

able to cut-strip the railway, and save fully two hours on the time. The saving proposed by the railway timc-tablo is not of very great value to this end of the journey, and it would appear that, the authorities have not given much consideration to the wants of the travelling public journeying to Hokitika. This will be the important tourist centre in the season, and if the through train journey is to be unduly extended, the railway authorities will merely lie fostering the opposition by the motor services, and will lose much legitimate revenue. Indeed it is not unlikely that in the season quite & substantial amount of through traffio

*/iIl lx> diverted by the motors which have proved their ability to perforin ti:o iiokitika-Cliristclnirch journey in * very speedy time, it will be a disappointment to this section of the community to be served by the railway, if improved facilities lor travel are not to be available. It was calculated some tunc ago that the train would do the journey from Hokitika to Christchurcn and vice versa, in something like eight hours. This, however, is not- likely to lx? realised just yet, and on that account there will be a feeling of chagrin that hopes encouraged in the past are not going to ho realised. There Is the promise of some overdue attention to the Ross traffic by an improved service, but the details are not available yet. Four days a week connection with Christchurch will l>e useful, but what will be more appreciated will be a. greatly improved inter-town service, for it is in that oiiatter where the i practical utility is enjoyed. A definite announcement of the new timetable will be awaited with interest.