OUR RAILWAY.

Manawatu Herald, 24 September 1878, Page 2

OUR RAILWAY.

TO THE EDITOR OF rilE MANAWATU HERALD. Snt— Having promised to again wiite to you on our railway management, I have now the pleasure to offer you a few deductions arrived at froai the careful study of our new time table. In case, however, the outside public may take an interest in this discussion, besides those most vitally interested, it may be wise to state that the railway line from Foxton to Wanganui is 85 miles in length, and that the station at Halcambe is just half-way. The character of the country on either side of Halcombe i*, however, very dissimilar • that half to Foxton is for tho greater part of the distance level and straight ; that to Wanganui is hilly, and the line abounds in steep grades and sharp curves, so much so, that on that end a Fairlie engine is in use. i'he time table shows, after leaving Halcombe for Wanganui, that there

"'are eleven possible stopping places, but between Halcombe and Foxton } only seven. ■ The midday train from Wanganui Ito Pulincrstou lias been represented as the goods train, and that it stays lat Halcombe of a night to collect trucks, and then wend its slow and loaded way the next morning to Wano-anui. This, however, does not appear to be the case, according to the time table, or else frightful risk and enormous wear and tear must be occasioned by the pace travelled by this goods train. For, mark the various times given. The 6.45 tram from Wanganui takes 3 hours 15 minutes to reach. Halcombe, 1 hour 33 minutes from Hals combe to Palinerston, and 1 hour and 30 minutes from there to Foxton — in all, without counting stoppages at Halcombe, 6 hours and 13 minutes to do the journey. Whereas the 7.5 train from Foxton to Wanganui does the journey in 6 hours 55 minutes, or 23 minutes less than the corresponding train. But, though our line is the straightest and most level, the i time saved iu this trip i3 of no ijain^ to most in the County, the time being "*■ made up between Palmerston and Halcombe 13 minutes, and from Halcombe on t'.io other 10 minute9, over the roughest line. The train from Wanganui, in the trip above mentioned, takes 3 hours 15 minutes to reach Halcembe, but what think you of our loaded goods train that starts from Halcombe for Wanganui at 7.30 ? Why, it does the journey in 2 hours and 50 mins., or 25 minutes leas time. Why do you think this is so ? I say, probably, that it is to give our Halcombe residents and others just adjacent, every opportunity to go to Wanganui, to go quickly and to have more time thei'e, than they can and do have under the present arrangements with Foxton. The Halcombe resident cannot leave for Foxton before a quarter past 10 o'clock, the journey snail take him three hours aud three minutes, and he will arrive at 18 minutes past one — and he must return either by the 4.25 train— thus he has only 3 hours and 7 minutes to transact his business at his proper port ; but if he will only go to Wanyanui, he can start by the 7.30 a.m. goods train, shall arrive at Wanganui at twenty minutes past 10 o'clock, and shall have been carried there, though it was only a goods train, within 2 hours and 50 minutes, or some 13 minutes quicker than by our passenger train. He need not then leave town till 4.15, and has therefore 5 hours and 55jft minutes to do ail trade at a porM| which is out of the district, is i fur&el^^ from Wellington, and is not equal to the one he has such difficulty in reaching. This is the only view that can be taken of the time" table — the excuse about {the niid.day train being the goods train required, is proved wrong, it seems rather to be an expre-.s to carry all trade possible to Wanganui, and away from this Count}'. It is as has before been said. No convenience or attention has been afforded, or apparently intended, for the Manawatu side of the line. x I am, &c, Ernest S. Thyknb.