MAIN TRUNK LINE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 125, 25 January 1909, Page 2

MAIN TRUNK LINE.

A resident who arrived in Wellington by the Main Trunk line on Thursday las.t, informed a Dominion representative that he would be very unwilling to make the journey again under present conditions. The Railway Department was'apparently doing its best, but a good deal was lacking. The train, carrying about 350 passengers, arrived three-quarters of an hour late at Taumarunui, where the traveller had booked accommodation a week beforehand at a bbardinghouse. On arrival he was "told that owing to the excessive demand or rooms it had been found impossible to make better provision for him : than a bed in an im» provised bed chamber. . This proved to be a galvanised iron shed, about 30ft. by.2oft., with a table running down the length of the room. On the table were four beds, and at the end of the table were a couple of basins and two or three jugs. rest of the room was filled with so close, together that one could not move between them. In this room 26 men spent the night. Half the beds were without pillows, and only one blanket was provided for each guest. As some of the early birds confiscated the blankets of others a number of the sleepers had no covering beyond their clothes; . and ' the night was bitterly cold. .The two wash basins had to do .duty! for. 26 persons. The travellers were informed in :the moriiing that the charge was 7s 6d with or without -breakfast. -.."_