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Hokitika Guardian, 20 October 1925, Page 2

The Railway authorities have deterinineti at last <m tlte speeded up timetable for the Westland railway system. It is due to come into force in a month's time. Its cardinal features so tar as the local connections are concerned. are better uniformity in the daily service and the aclieivement of something long asked for. hut "Inch it was always stated it was not possible to do—the cutting out of the long delay of crossing at the Kuniara Junction. The trains will not cross at that station for the future, but at one of the sidings along the route. Incidentally the train journey is shortened by the

time-table by ten or fifteen minutes. Tile train will be despatched from Greyrnouth earlier than from Hokitika. Here there wiIT he a very reasonable hour of despatch, and that will enable also a more reasonable hour to be observed at the Boss end. In regard to the midland journey to and from Christchurch. there will be some little saving also, as well as more reasonable travelling hours. The departure from Hokitika will be at a quarter to nine in the morning, and alter a more reasonable stop of lifteen minutes at Greymouth. Christchurch will be reached at twenty-three minutes past fue. Jn the reverse journey, the train "ill depart front Christchurch at a quarter to ten. and Civymouth will he reached at twenty-live minutes past four. Another brief stay of fifteen minutes only is scheduled, and Hokitika "ill lie reached at the uniform hour of a quarter past six each evening. We have not had the opportunity yet of studying the complete time-table for the ('cast, liiii as far as we ran see there are several improvements which will he appreciated, lull the journey between Hokitika and Heefton l»v railway still remains as inconvenient as ever. “BittT.ux i- no longer the rich land from which we can derive all we desire. or think wo desire. We should no longer expert sacrifices from her. The day has come for the Dominions to carry their load and hear their own responsibilities.” Thus Air .1. W. Dafoe. editor of the Manitoba ‘‘Free Press.'’ Winnipeg. Canada, at the Lyceum Theatre. Sydney, in the course of an interesting address on “Dominion Sidelights.” Having dwelt upon the visible and invisible bonds of Kmpire. which, he declared, would always last. Mr Dafoe said that as a Canadian ol the fourth generation lie had I won immensely struck during his visit here with the press delegation by the similarity between the average Australian and the average Canadian of TSritisi. blood. Apart from small dt (fere tires in accent and words, the types were practieatlv irlentiea!. Canada, however, could not boast that she was il.~ per cent. Bi'itsh in population. As a mailer of fact, she was o 1 per cent. British. .TO per rent. French, and the rest “of all the tribes of Europe.” That was not to say however, that Canada did not possess the Empire souse in the highest degree, or that non-British Canadians "ere of a class inferior to t heir lellnw.s. They were all good Canadians. He fervently Imped that with greater mutual knowledge the trade relations between Australia and Canada would he much closer than they were at present.