The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated, the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1929. A MUCH NEEDED IMPROVEMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 14 November 1929, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated, the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1929. A MUCH NEEDED IMPROVEMENT

lx the thought for the times the other clay,,, a was.. convey eel to the townspeople-’to 1 bestir themselvps once again in the jnacter of an improved ‘•express'’ ’service in connecton witii the Hokitika-Greymontli run of the East and West toast tram connection.' Tiie la.se, long section of the run from v.m isttnurch covering the fc’4 nuJes to Hokitika Id is been ai\ ays so drawn out, as to be a s'ource of comment and condemnation by through passengers particularly. Despite appeal alter appeal the railway authorities have never ! risen to the occasion, or attempted to give this community the benelit of a real express .service. It has been an “express” service only in name. Hokitika can claim to be the jumping oil point for the real tourist resorts of the Coast, and it should lie the object and purpose of the Railway Department in catering for tourist traffic fas it does in other parts of New Zealand) to land tne traveller en route for the Glaciers to Hokitika, in the shortest time possible. As it is, the Railway Department lias dallied by the way, with the result that private enterprise has entered the lists, and motors in the tourist season now pick up passengers at Arthur’s Pass or Ut.ira, and the travellers reach Hokitika, their day’s destination, an hour or more ahead of the train. This is clue to the through train changing at Grey mouth from a purely passenger train to a “mixed” train. This state of affairs has been a source of complaint over long years, the official reply invariably being “it can’t he done.” However, similar conditions appear to have prevailed in the North Auckland districts and the agitation for improvement was unavailing, till the authorities discovered all at once it could be done, and half an hour was cut off the train journey! We should like, to see the Railway authorities put on their thinking caps in regard to the local service, and see some substantial reduction made in the time assigned for the run between Greymouth and Hokitika. The time just now is more opportune than over it was for such an improvement. The late adjustment of t..e East and West goods service trains bus brought about a fresh condition of affairs, under whi h the evening train from Greymouth lias a light (if any) goods traffic, and with an absence of shunting, time can he saved at every stop. The result is that the train often arrives ahead of time, and if this can lie clone in an unofficial way. surely it can he done officially by a definite timetable. An earlier arrival would ho a great convenience for travellers and the hotels. The former would reach their hotel in lime for the regular meal hour, and this fact would lit in comfortably with (lie working hours of the staff, and so lie more convenient and satisfactory all round. Now that we are approaching the tourist season, the time is opportune for the management of the railways to pay ‘-bbie attention to this matter. The

summer and holiday traffic are at hand, and the .Department should set out to cater lor it to the best capacity possible. Events prove now that what is being asked for is not unreasonable. 'lime can he saved now, and that saving should be made definite and certain, in which case travellers will rejoice greatly, and there wdl be more conadenee in urging lolk to travel by train instead ot stepping oil’ aitd patronising rival motor .services.