EAST AND WEST.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 August 1923, Page 2

EAST AND WEST.

THROUGH THE TUNNEL. There was n time when the traveller passing east or west went "over” tho hill. Now the traveller posses “through” the hill. It is a wonderful change—and particularly so in tho winter time of the year, as tho averago traveller will know. The journey is so much changed, that there is the certainty the volume of traffic must increase enormously. Travellers from tho Hokitika end have a grievance though —several grievances in point of fact. This district is not linked up with tho express system to begin with, nnd in fact on the time-table headings, Hokitika is omitted altogether. The timetable bears the legend "Ross-Grey-mout li-Ot ira-C'h ri stchureh. ’ ’ The uninitiated would seek in vain for Hokitika where he guided by the headlines of the poster time-tables. Again, it is not till be reaches Greymouth that he finds the carriages labelled “Christchurch,” or if he were travelling west, he would at Christchurch, find the carriages labelled “Greymouth. This means that when the 24 miles journey between Hokitika and Greymouth is accomplished in or about (or over) tuo hours (the local trains always hasten slowly) the passenger with his impedimenta has to alight on the cold, bleak Greymouth station, bathed as it is always at this season of the year in tho inevitable “barber,” and wait while the carriages from Hokitika are shunted off the line, and n fresh train of carriages is brought up to the station for the ovcrlaudors! It seems a wasteful, ridiculous procedure, this official request to change trains, and is most inconvenient to travellers. It is the moro ridiculous and wasteful of precious time when it is remembered that while tho carriages from Hokitika may not grace tho “express” service, the guard’s van is allowed to proceed. This distinction occurs on both the outward and inward journey—tlu* guard’s van travels right through. The changing of carriages is as great an ordeal for elderly people anil young children, as was the rush for seats on the coach trip. Thero is the usual inconvenience, combined with the uncertainty aliout obtaining seats, though these may be reserved til the local railway station on payment ol 1 s Gil!

Tho trip, apart from the delay and inconvenience of the change of carriages ami train at Greymouth, is a greatly improved one. Once the train gets under way from Greymouth, it slips along. Tho earriages are steam heated which is a pleasant improvement on the footwarmers. The guard worries passengers as often as over for tickets, hut that is a Dominion-wide failing i f the railway service. At Otira there is a commodious station, and good accommodation in the refreshment room and luncheon apartment for tho regaling of the passengers. Both trains stop over at Otira for the midday meal. The service is fair, but is not yet in complete working order. The stalf is hardly up to the numerical strength necessary to deal with tho rush crowds. The service, of course, is not comparable with Oamnru or Marton, but before the summer traffic sets in in earnest, no doubt it will be greatly improved and more in keeping with requirements.

Tho journey through the tunnel when leaving the iCoast occupies about 20 minutes, while coining to the Coast (on the down grade of 1 in 33) the trip occupies about 12 minutes. At Otira the steam engine gives place to the electric motor. The latter moves off without jolt or jar and there is a very oven pull, without the succession of concussions which so often happens when the train is under steam traction. It is a run of upwards of two miles to the tunnel month under Mount Rolleston. The train glides comfortably along, and passengers are in a state of pleasurable anticipation for the tunnel trip. Tlio tunnel is entered without a stop and in a moment the train is passing through the longest tunnel in the southern hemisphere, and t tie greatest tunnel in the British Empire. is lit internally with bright electric lights which look like brilliant glow worms. As tho train moves rapidly, the funnel lights flash into the carriages, hut the interior of tho carriage is already illuminated, so there is no lack of light. The curious venture out on the platform to inspect the tunnel as they may and to glean some knowledge or idea of the magnitude of the great work which tlie Dominion engineers carried through with such scientific accuracy to tlio credit of themselves and the reputation of the Public Works Department. The twenty minutes’ passage passes quickly, for olio is curious all the way about the novel experience, during which the mind of * the frequent traveller hovers hack to the times when he had to plod the Otira Gorge, sometimes in rain or snow, sometimes in sunshine and natural splendour—hut always there was the weary plodding to do. Now there is comfort in a nicely heated railway carriage with a boon companion perhaps to talk of old times and to exchange experiences of the days when tie rigors of the journey had to he faced when traffic passed by roach over the Otira Gorge.

Before one’s reflections have died down the train emerges suddenly again into daylight, and is at Arthur’s Pass. Just now Arthur’s Pass is in its wintry splendour. It is beautiful to look upon. The mantle of snow is everywhere. Waterfalls are frozen and present a rare sight. The workmen heavily clothed, move about laboriously. It cannot be congenial employment working out in the snow. Travellers will thank their lucky stars that the tunnel has cut short the journey “over the hill,” and relieved traffic of the necessity of toiling across the Pass in crowded coaches in all weathers, to accomplish the jour-

There is but a brief stay nt Arthur’s Pass. Perhaps the Christchurch train has arrived already. Li that case the electric motor transfers to the neighbouring train, while the big steam engine attaches itself to the Coast train, and once again it is on the move, and reaches the City of the Plains betimes. The train journey is an easy accomplishment nowadays. Tf the ridiculous requirement of the railway officials to change carriages at Greymouth were dispensed with, it would be a trip to satisfy any traveller. If the tourist and holiday traffic is to lie catered for *s* effectively the through earriages to Hokitika are a necessity, or motors will ''•J compete successfully with the railways.