The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, SEPT. 29th, 1924. THE EAST AND WEST COAST RAILWAY.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 September 1924, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, SEPT. 29th, 1924. THE EAST AND WEST COAST RAILWAY.

Tim liail w ays Statement so far as it refers tu the Midland line is worthy of a good deal of attention on Loth sides of the range. It would appear that the railway authoritits are as pessimistic as ever almnt the future of the line, and maintain a dirge of comment which suggests the cause for the official delay which marked the long draw'll out construction and opening of the line. The Minister and Genetal Manager alike are not at all hopeful about the prospects of the lino, and one seems to reflect the views of the other in it very doleful strain. We submit there is not any occasion for (tessiniistn about the future of the line. The trade is growing and the whole circumstances point'*to a steadily improving position. There are many aspects governing the situation to be taken into account. Fiist of all there was the enormous capital cost incurred because 1 he w-prh iron nllovtvt] to ilrng pH

through the years of the war when prices for everything about the work soared to an enormous cost. Had the line hoen finished to contract time, it would have escaped the impost ol war vests, and hundred of thousa.nds ol pounds would have been saved, w'.ii'e the line would have been earning revenue for the jasl ten years the capital remained idle and was eating its head oil' with interest payments. This has been a tremeiidms hamli.an. and the railway authorities seem to overlook this all important a.spci l of the matter

the undue loading of the line in the matter of oapilal oust. It has 1.-.-cli suggested that some substantial | notion of the to l should be written olf and transferred to the war ] eriod liability l.e.ail-e of (lie unfaiiues; in expecting the line to pay on elianges never * mi - template I when the fiiomoe of the liml 'i t-iking w■ s i unsolded. ’I lean tl’ere was ijie delay ill operutilig the line, and when it was opened, it was operated at < r - . | ur) eses by two de-

I'artne-nts wlii h seemed d-te: mined to ill-oim-uiei; .- I raili • I n t’e 11111-st

tent. In t bat re .pel t t'e (olidll. t el the line bad a I ad. mu to say. an unfair start, lint what i> tin- position to-day now that the line is under normal running conditions ? Trallie of all kinds is im-rea-dug. The growth in the pas-ciiger trafli • eoinpared with ti e coaching days Ins advanced greatly: the through goods Ira Hi • | ul up a record last week. Ibe lai tors do not suggest pessimism as to the future rather the euutiary. When tin- railway whs opened it was regarded as a prime factor to remote lie- i- ilatioii if the Coast. It has done that ami that means that tbe Coast is non rerocovoi ing month by month I rum tbe stagnation wliieb its isolation i-ufoncil. Tbe C-oa-l i- now |art ami panel of lie- Hoininion. Ilelofe it was -.emelbliig apart, and alone, doing as Pest it eocbl t-i iea li tbe markets ami interchange its i oinmodilies. That ba-i (hanged all for tie- hotter, and must have both a 'ire t and indirect effect on tbe railwav revenue. Since tbe opening of the Midland line, one elicit has been the reopening of a train service from Sheffield to North Canterbury, 'that is an advantage again to tbe railway ser-vi'-e. galvanising an iiun-ed line into praeiioal use. 'tin- .Ministei bimsell lias confessed that die boll, of tile goods trallie by sea lias been capture.l by the railway, 'licit is a gain l i the loiintry. for (lie truffle im reuses the earning panel- of all till- blanches af the railway brought info use. The .Minister also notes that lln- bulk of the trallie over tbe line is llnill tie- ('o.isl. and lie is now considering the (|iieslioii of Im k freights, as a means l i iinrea.se the earning power of the line. 'lhe Minister was advised ill ibis p.ilil by our Canierluiry friends in times past, bill refused the representations; 'I lie idea however, is in mind. Tin- better test of the possibilities of tbe line will lain the seooiid railway year, heaam-o matters we fa mu Inllv .mil and til now, and there is no doubt the .'milliner trallie both in passengers and goods will show a marked increase. I’l-odne.-is beginning to come from the east in greater volume, and it will be a growing quantity to the value ol the railways. As to passenger trallie, if the department would give a better service between (iic-ymnuth and Hokitika for the Midland trains tile earning power would bo greater, for the reason that tbe motor trallie from Otira would bo eliminated. As it is hundreds of | assongers this year will detrain at Otira and take ears to Hokitika. On tins tIV Hid the railways will le.se about twenty-five shillings per j assenger. so that ill this res) eat alone there w i I lie considerable leakage. The mnlor. compete siiet-essfull.v certaudy in time agaii.st the railway, reaching Hokitika ahruit an hour and a half ahead of the train—just because of the perverseness of tlio railway mana-'-omenl which converts the express service from Christc-hurc h into a ‘-depress” servile for the last stage of the journey. (!reyinoutli to Hokitika. .S uite day we hope the railway heads will throw (If their pessimism and give Hokitika a quick through .service and so retain patronage and revenue.