Manawatu Herald TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 1923. RAILWAY AND MOTORS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2554, 13 March 1923, Page 2

Manawatu Herald TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 1923. RAILWAY AND MOTORS.

DISCUSSING (he competition between railways and motor services the Transport and Travel Monthly says:—The popularity of road travel depends to a great extent on the length of the journey. The holiday maker will always he attracted to the road for a 50 or 00 miles journey—particularly when the road will carry his luggage from door to door and will guarantee 'him the seat of his choosing. But the loss of the rail is not so serious as appears at first sight, for these people are mainly once-a-year excursionists and very rarely regular travellers, since to the latter considerations of time are all-important. There remains, however, a considerable number of people who are tempted to the short afternoon or evening trips by road motor or bus out of the large towns, and consequently become patrons of the road, and not the rail for annual party outings, visits to football matches, etc. But the extent to which the road will ever attract a real long-distance traffic is very doubtful. Apart from “tours” of a week or a fortnight by road in some particular district, the railway is not likely to lie a permanent loser of many 150 or 200 miles fares. Rood travel for such distances is very wearisome. In dealing with I lie suburban traffic, the writer concludes, the railway is in a very strong position : A suburban train carrying at a moderate estimate 500 passengers —is an infinitely more suitable conveyance of “rush-hour” traffic than the most copious service of trams or road motors that can possibly be provided, and the. longer the distance is to be travelled from and to the passenger’s place of business the more sure will be his adherence to the rail. But the fact that the suburban zone of every large town is rapidly being extended, so that the throe miles season ticket bolder of pre-war times who made six rail journeys daily is becoming the 15 or 20 miles passenger who travels twice a day, raises the question whether the railways should not deliberately throw to the road's the short distance passenger, and improve the service to the more distant residential quarters.

THE Canadians go in for “welcome” notices at the entrance to some of their towns. One of the notices seen en route by a New Zealander read as follows: “You are now entering the town of Grimsby. Grimsby welcomes you.” On leaving the town the motorist is confronted with another signboard bearing the words: “Thank you; call again.” This reminds us that rubbish dumped on the roadside (in the Manawatu County area) at the north entrance lo the town is a dumb and disgraceful spectacle to the visitor who approaches our town. These are the little things which are calculated to create a prejudice against the town and its people. The entrances and exits to our town should be made attractive by the planting of suitable (lowering shrubs and trees. The unlovely area opposite Victoria Park could, at little expense, be made a very pretty entrance into Foxton and we commend the suggestion to the Beautifying Society.

WHILE on the question of beautifying, Foxton is' within a short distance of a most beautiful piece of -notice bush —set aside as a National Scenic Reserve. It is hoped that the Forestry Department will, at an early date, provide a sufficient sum |o have it securely fenced and access from the Motuiti road provided. ft is reported that certain acts of vandalism is taking place in the bush and that stock is roaming in the reserve. The local ranger is taking steps to stir up the Department. in carrying out improvements for the protection of this valuable national and local asset and in the meantime, acts of vandalism will be dealt with by the magistrate. When fencing and other improvements are effected the reserve will attract people from all parts of the district.