THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1920. EDITORIAL NOTES.

Otaki Mail, Volume XXVIII, 6 February 1920, Page 2

THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1920. EDITORIAL NOTES.

Wellington Progress league. Though etarting in a quiet way. the Wellington Progress League is an organisation that dc-sCrves well, and should certainly have the co-operation of local bodies and public men ' throughout the province. Wellington, I though the capital of the Dominion. has unfortunately been singularly j backward in the display of publicI spiritedness. There has been a lack of i enthusiasm and energy by its citizens. | compared with, say. Auckland City, , and consequently much that might | have been done in Wellington and district has been left undone. The icrma- ! tion of a Progress League is thus 1 opportune, and we welcome this newivi formed body, which has a. tremendous ■ scope, and great possibilities of assistj ing in many big works of provincial ! and national importance. If the ! League is properly constituted, and ■ backed by every part of the provincial I district, as it shonld be. it could render j enormous assist*nee in such matters as ; the Mangahao and other electric light | and power schemes, the proposed main i arterial road deviation from Paremata ; i to Paekakariki, Kimutaka railway ; ‘ deviation, improved railway - service, j

j and other much-needed works. It is i to be hoped that every local body in ! the central portion o£ the Dominion i trill accord its loyal and hearty support to this Progress League, which, if : properly supported, should speedily prove its worth, and be of material \ /assistance in promoting the completion | oi many much-needed important * ivorks. We strongly urge that branches ' r.i the League be formed in this dis- . trict —say, at Otafej, Levin, and Shannon, to keep our district-'? requir*rnents well before the public, and to j assist in any object in which our dis- ; trict is more particularly concerned, r-r Our Eauitrsy Service. One of the matters in rrhieh the PrO'gresf League might be of very great ; assistance to this district is is the direction of securing a better railway service for the Manawaru line—at any i rate as far north as Otaki. Ir will be seen by an article elsewhere in this . j.-sue that Mr V. H- Field. M.P.. who ■ h*ts on msnv occasions striven to secure a better railway service for this district. has again approached the Minister for Railways in this- matter, and has set forth convincing grounds why his requests should be granted. Most oi these point? have been set forth in i these columns time and again, and re- f presentations have been made to the ! gailway Department, but without j avail. The fact still remain.- that this ■ district is little better serves! by railways than it was over a quarter c-i <v

century ago, though settlement has advanced rapidly, the population has more than trebled, and the railway returns have increased enormously. Thus residents of Otaki. though only 47 miles from the capital city, on the Main Trunk line, have to spend nearly six hours in the trains in order to have less than four hours for business in Wellington. One cannot reach the city

before 1d.!.) p.m.—it is generally nearer Id.do when the train actually arrives—and by the time the centre of the city is reached many people are away at lunch, after which little time is left for business before the only up train leaves, just after 4 p.m. An examination of the time-table shows that this district is not receiving fair treatment as regards train service, compared with other towns and suburban districts similarly placed, and residents all along the line should make a spirited and united protest, and support Mr field in his efforts to secure an improved service, which would be fully appreciated, and would tend in a marked degree to increase the prosperity of the district. The housing accommodation in Wellington is more acute than in any other city in the Dominion, and it is the duty of the Government to assist suburban residents as much as possible. The Progress League should be able to add much weight to this district’s claims in tliis respect.