THE MANAWATU HERALD. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1878.

Manawatu Herald, 24 September 1878, Page 2

THE MANAWATU HERALD. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1878.

The Wonganui evening paper in a recent issue takes up the position of apologist for the railway time table, and criticises our article upon the eanie. The remarks apperv to us to proceed upon wrong foundations. The Wanganui paper sa\s, that under the new time table accommodation at the Foxton end is in no way lessened; that the two trains have been found adequate to the trade, and that^as long as no actual inconvenience was caused, Foxton has nothing to complain of. But the writer begs the whole question. Who says there is "no actual inconvenience V We suppose the manager of the line told the editor so. Yet upon this supv position, he assumes that we are complaining needlessly. We would like the writer to defiue " an actual inconvenience." If our contemporary would quote the second and third paragraphs of our previous article, or Mr Thyj.vne's letter in this issue, his readers would see what " actual inconveniences" are caused to residents of the Manawatu by the new time table. No train reaches Foxton until nearly 1| hours after midday; the first train from Wanganui takes 13 minutes longer than under the old arrangement ; and no stepa are tak^n to improve our communication, but the simple fact that people from Wanganui can reach Foxton, and get to bed at night 45 minutes sooner than before ! Does the Wanganui apologist suppose Manawatu residents wore satisfied with the old time table? If so, let him remember the complaints almost constantly uttered by our Palmerston contemporary, before this journal started and since. Strong protests have been made all along against the treatment Manawatu received ; and the new arrraugement of " a " train to do the shunting, bewteen "Palmerston and Halcombe," is but a flimsy cover for the attempts made to divert our legitimate trade. Truly Manawatu asked for bread and re» ceived a stons. Our contemporary sneers at the Manawatu passenger traffic; but if the time table were properly arranged, so that people could have sufficient time in Foxton, and not be compelled to stay the night, the traffic would be greater. The present arranges ment allows them about three hours } in which to get dinner, and transact their business; whilst the Banks close about 1£ hours after the arrival of the first train in Foxton. Does our contemporary consider these " actual" or " imaginary" " iucon* veniences ?" In the face of these things is it any wonder that nine out of every ten settlers use their horses in preference to the train ? Our contemporary asks " would " another train in and out of Foxton " return a profit ?" We believe the third train would pay the best, if arranged to reach Foxton at 10 a.m., and to leave about 2.30. We are not jealous of Wanganui. We have no need to be. Time will show. But when an attempt is made to divert the trade legitimately ours into that port, we deem it right to utter a decided protest. We repeat that what we want is, through and frequent communication with the Upper Manawatu District. For the rest, if Wanganui can keep the trade, we care not.