THE Kaipara AND Maitemata ECHO WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED "THE KAIPARA ADVERTISER & WAITEMATA CHRONICLE." HELENSVILLE, FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 1914. THE HELENSVILLE RAILWAY A STANDING JOKE AND LAUGHING STOCK.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 17 April 1914, Page 4

THE Kaipara AND Maitemata ECHO WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED "THE KAIPARA ADVERTISER & WAITEMATA CHRONICLE." HELENSVILLE, FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 1914. THE HELENSVILLE RAILWAY A STANDING JOKE AND LAUGHING STOCK.

Of all the railway lines in the Dominion the Helensville patch causes not only rruch laughter and joking at times but much chagrin and " some " swear becausb of its utter mismanagement from headquarters. Not satisfied with being able to kill a man occasionally, or the crawling speed indulged in, and the fact that one never knows how many hours or half hours detention is going to lesult during a journey along the line, or whether one is to be carried home in the train be boarded or only half of it, goes to show that the system is rotten to the care and a scandal to everyone concerned. If the highly-paid Mr Hiley, is the experienced man he is represented to be, then it is time the Helensviile line had a sample touch from his magic wand. To make our railways popular, Government issue cheap excursion tickets during holiday time, and such was the case at Easter, when no less than two thousand Aucklanders patronised our line, but " got back in pieces " as it were. As is too frequently the case with the Helensville haulage, the train broke down —the ioco. was weak in the knees. The evening train which was crowded with excursionists on Monday evening dropped her hundreds at Avondale and Mt. Albert stations, but even then the engine power was only sufficient to haul the train into Kingsland station at a very slow pace 35 minutes behind time. The train stopped at Kingsland to let passengers off, and was unable to start again. The officials divided the load into two, and the train was hauled to Mount Eden in sections. The engine, aft^r taking cne half to Mount Eden, had to go back for the remaining carriages. The engines on this line prove to bo funny animals almost at all times, but on Tuesday a return train, after doing its tedious dodging about at every stopping-place aloDg the line, actually broke down within a mile from home, Helensville. Of course the passengers had not far to walk, but took the incidence as another joke.

But all joking aside. Excursionists especially will be few and wary along our track—and goodness knows it has bad names enough—unless a ladical change is soon mad9. Now then, Reform !