WEST COAST MATTERS.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 November 1923, Page 4

WEST COAST MATTERS.

EFFECT OF LINKING-UP. CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 20. -Mr P. Ji. Climie. the organiser of the Canterbury ('i.jnpK-lionsive report ot 1 jis recent visit to the West Coast, to the Railway Committee of the Progress League yesterday. First of all lie touched on the matter of the train service between Greyinnuth and Hokitika, and the request that Hokitika should become the terminus of the service from Christchurch. He said he was quite in favour of this alteration, and considered that there were good grounds for complaint concerning the present .serene between (Ireyiiiouth and Hokitika. Tim speed was deplorable, for which be gave the following as verification. Some fellow-passengers left the trail, at i Itirn going on by the service motorear, and were landed in Hokitika beI'orc C o’clock, while the train did not airive until 7 o'clock. The whole railway system on the West Coast was extei'tuely unsatisfactory, the trains wore slow, and the people were dissatislied. They were shoving their dissatisfaction in marked fashion by increased patronage of the motor-car service. Another mutter that was being keenly discussed on the Coast was tin- m eil of ;t olH'-iPty servi! eto Canterbury from '\est;'oif. ti 'p >wrney tluii i.ow entails two days. This was a case where the railway was being f-caleii 10. the motor transport. With regard t" trade the pio.sp elver,• of the li:ighte:-t. The Weight rates were ue -t al trie live to the West Coasters, and tin hope was expressed gener.ilh that any revision would no! mean a rise in price. Trade from Westlaud to t anterhiny was well established. for. in addition to regular supplies of coal and timber, there were other growing ox-janis. T here was a demand for insulated waggons for instance, for the transport of cheese and butter, for the daiiying industry was making giant strides, new cheese factories having been established at both Hokitika ami lleelton. With regal’d to the matters of freight, ami improvement of railway servic". between Canterbury and Westland, fhe

only opposition received was from the Greymouth rlaihour Hoard, which was lialuially an interested body and siillcr. ing now bv i lie eompetitiou ol the railways. Theie was no doubt that the eoinpletion of the railway bad opened up a new «-i-a ot pudseerity tor Westland and the town of Greymouth would i<-!'p many benefits, Readjiistmenis ebvimisly would be necessary, but in the long run. trade would benefit, enormously. T'eme of the letaib-r.- eomphiin. «i that Chi istelinr-h had l.ecom-- the shopping ((litre, and there had been a little miemployment but tins would be righted in lime. With regard to th" whole-ah' trade. Canterbury i umiiiercial Irivelh".v.ere none than holding their own. ami it was estimated that •><) per cent "I the tra.de was being done with CanterImry lK»us.e>.