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Hokitika Guardian, 9 January 1925, Page 2

AriT.it a lengthy period of procrastination, Railway headquarters Ims sanctioned an accelerated train service between Greymoutli anil Hokitika to connect with the Midland train on Saturdays. This lias been agitated for by the Progress League for some time, and has been approve.l at. last. Il is part of the loinpa.t uilli the rail "ays .understand, that the ••innovation, of an improved train service is not to he used as an argument for the purpose of requesting similar enniessioas on other days I Perhaps it is not too much to hope that while the Progress .League respects its part of the bargain and remains silent, the Department will realise the benefits of the change being made and afford an improved daily service over the 21 miles involved in the journey. The saving on the Saturday special “express" servile is about 25 minutes each way. which will increase the rate of speed bv the train to about the effort of a second-hand Ford 011 an average piece of road, or say a mile every three minutes. For this we must he thankful. At the same time, let us be hopeful that the report of the late Railway Commission will have some hearing 011 the Hokitika-Greymoutli time table, and that without any further outside pressure or persistent agitation liv the Progress League or other organisation, the railway management on its own initiative will set about further reforms. Tt will be necessary for the Department to do so as an act of selfpreservation. Motoring is becoming the vogue of late because of the slow journey by rail, and often the inconvenience of the time-table. There "as the case in point this week of the lack of railway facilities for the P.ecfton races anil trots. It was only hv the use of motors the public south Greymouth could do the journey in a reasonable time. Hut for the Railway report we would he very pessimistic alHiut the position, hut the criticism and advice tendered in that document, induces us to fie hopeful 'that the local railway service will soon show further improvements .for the benefit of the travelling public.

Tin: Telegraphic Department is showing jt practical interest in the extension of its business bore. Tlio telephone branch is receiving social attention. The local office will be put into a position now to cope with all possible business tor some years to come. The residential portion of the town is to he served at. once with the metallic system, and the underground wire now being laid will accommodate 270 additional subscribers. "With the growth in the number of subscribers, it should he possible for the town to take up the matter of a continuous service. The telephone is valuable only because of the use it is put too, but when, as so often happens, it is closed, subscribers’ fees are of no value for the time being. Recently on such times as Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. to find the telephone exchange closed, was most tantalising. Yet for an extra. Cl a year in the case of private residences, and £2 for business premises, the exchange would lx:- kept open all the year round. The trilling cost involved is well worth the extra expense. It is not a matter of what that cost is going to he. hut what wifi he the benefit from the expenditure. To have the telephone open all the time would he a sign of progress about the town. It will indicate that the community is alert and not asleep. Perhaps the Postal and Telegraph Department will Itegin to emulate the policy of the. Railway Department, and go out and look for business. "\Y ith an increased number of connections, an officer of the Department might well he deputed to wait on the suhscribeis, explain the general benefits and so lead up to the acceptance of the continuous service. By improving the service as Is now being done, the Department wiil encourage more connections, which

will make the service all the more use--1 ul generally, and add to the necessity for a. better service. It is essential now that the town is coming into its own as a tourist centre, that there should he a telephone service available on •Sundays and this will Itc rendered possible by the introduction of the continuous (service. It ,'is good to see signs of progress and the townspeople should help themselves accordingly with an improved service.