A LATE TRAIN.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5182, 23 September 1927, Page 2

A LATE TRAIN.

HAMILTON TO THAMES.

ALLEGED UNNECESSARY DELAY.

Passengers by the delayed train on Saturday last from Hamilton to Thames speak complainingly of the time that was taken pn the journey (states the Thames Star).

Scheduled to leave; at 6 p.m., it was 6.10 p.m. before the train drew out of Hamilton station, and the time taken between Hamilton and Morrinsville, some 20 miles, was over 1% hours. There, was some delay at both Morrinsville and Te Aroha, with a further lengthy stop at Paeroa, the latter being necessary in order to allow passengers to obtain refreshments. Thames was reached at 10.45 p.m., whereas 10.10 p.m. was the time advertised.

Certainly the train was a mixed goods and passenger train, but after it had passed the afternoon train from Thames, somewhere between Te Aroha and Morrinsville, it had a clear line, and there should have been no delay.

There was good support accorded the train ; in fact, -on leaving Hamilton it was packed with passengers. In spite of this,' the Rugby Union has to face a small deficiency on t|heir guarantee-. The amount paid by the union for the train from Paeroa to- Thames was £2l 13s 4d, ’find better service surely could have; been accorded. The railway, by taking nearly five hours to make a journey of 61 miles, is surely encouraging motor competition. The amount that the union has to pay would have covered their fares by motor conveyances, and they would have reached home by 9 p.m. at the latest.

In planning future- trips of this nature the Railway Department would do well to look after the- comfort of its passengers by quick transit.