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Hokitika Guardian, 16 January 1925, Page 2

I'in:nr. seems to lie a great deal of protracted delay in finally approving the use of the southern tramway of Stuart and Chapman Ltd., Ross, for railway rolling slock, chiolly for lamb traffic. The application has boon before the Department for some time, but red tape protedore seems to hold' up matters. The rawmilling firm has a tramway in daily use currying heavy loads of logs. The sawn timber from an adjacent sawmill is carried over the line also, while a ballast train operates from time to time. It may bo accepted therefore that the line as built and in use. carries far heavier loading than any general goods or stock traffic for the railway. On that score the lino is well proved, and it is difficult to account for the hold-up procedure of the Department. It is desired within the next few weeks to transport some hundreds of lambs over the tramway to save the loss to the owners by driving round the mail. The local body has made all baste to finish the new bridge crossing Kakapotahi stream, and this will he ready for the traffic to serve the railway. It might be expected that there would be the disposition on the part of the Railway Department to popularise its service by earning the goodwill of public opinion, rather than apparently raising objections to prevent the needs of the settlors Going met. When the local body has referred the matter to visiting Ministers there has been a ready disposition to ] rovide for the traffic as suggested, but officials dealing with the matter seem to find il not difficult td raise objections. The matter of the delay is more remarkable. as with the object of overcoming the last of the Departmental objections, the local body has offered to idomnify the Government in respect to any injury to the rolling stock while being used on the tramway. It might be thought that would meet nil objections, but it does not sever all the red tare bonds, and the officials .seem to remain masters of the situation, ft is to be hoped the latest move of the local body will succeed in overcoming the Departmental objections finally.

A suggestion from a correspondent in tills issue in regard to the establishment of the continuous telephone is worth acting upon to ascertain the practical extent of public opinion on the matter. The more the telephone is available, the greater its utility. The all night service, it is conceivable, could be of special value in great emergency. This might arise suddenly in any household, and the convenience of the telephone to raise an alarm or call for help might easily be invaluable. Its use for social or conversational purposes is undoubted, and it would lie of value for long, distance calls during the time when ,a low tariff operates. Where it has been introduced it serves a useful purpose, and all connected with the exchanges find it of value some time or other. Calls or enquiry through the night are often a necessity and the telephone available would be found tbe mo-t convenient means of ready inter-communication. Ti the central exchange at Hokitika were open continuously it would be a great boon to residents in tbe country served by district bureaux. They could get into touch in emergency, probably saving miles of travel and hours of time in meeting their requirements. It would

not lie too much to ask tlie townspeople to do something towards that end for their country cousins, and the telephone would become a stronger link than ever for business purpose's between town and country. The continuous telephone would he a forward movement in keeping with the times, and placing the town on a par with other centres where ilie convenience is enjoyed. The value of the service for all kinds of purposes is so apparent that it is rather remarkable there should he any hanging hack on the question. It is to he hoped the matter will lie taken up vigorously by the townspeople general I v.