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Hokitika Guardian, 7 October 1929, Page 4

T,he annual report of the General Manager of the Newt Zealand Railways (issued with the Railways Statement) is a. very interesting resume indeed of the general situation of the State’s great undertaking. There are many points touched upon, and mhny aspects affecting the public service treated in an illuminating way. Mr Sterling is giving the whole subject very close attention, and his study is provoking Isome fdoqjp thought, It would appear he is fully alive, to the magnitude of the task lie has in the control of the railways, and the analysis he supplies of various avenues ibeing explored to assist- in making the'service of greater utility, are being thoroughly investigated. Mr Sterling has an interesting dissertation on making the railways pay, but not necessarily in the literal sense. I Anther are they to be made to pay in the expanding service given, and the variety of ways and means by which they are assisting the country through different channels -to aid and profit industry, trade and general.-, intercourse. There are more aspects of the subject to refer to than space permits now', but one is struck’’ with ing in regard to the need and value of providing a bettor service. In that connection reference is made, to improved time-tables over long distances, and that brings us back, to a- point mentioned on Saturday in regard- to the need of an improved train service to - Hokitika; With the growth- of traffic -and the value of the revenue derived from this immediate district, it does seem but fair that this part of the Westland Section shpuld ,be brought within the scope of , the. “ Express ’’ service as it obtains on -the’Coast. On the face of the mutter, it does not seem right that the accelerated service should stop short at Crey mouth, 24 miles from Hokitika. Pursuing the argument of the General Manager that -it is desired to give service, here is a long outstanding examjple of the-failure to provide what is so generally desired by the people. Whenever the matter is mentioned various departmental reasons are given to block the granting of the request, but it must also be observed, that when the departmental mind is made up to do something elsewhere, a way Is found dos’d to earlier objections. To our way of thinking the time is opportune to again press the former dem;nncl -to continue th c Onris-tchuircli Eixpi’ess as an “ Express ’ through to and from Hokitika on the service days. An improvement of the service to that extent would he on the very lines the General Manager speaks or to 'give ipiprovod connections 'over long distances, and with that objective it seems fair certainly to ask that the train journey from Christchurch to Hokitika should be improved when so little .change is required 'to affect the desired improvement. With the advent of the tourist season the time is opportune for the appeal.