THE PROPER CHANNEL.

Patea Mail, Volume I, Issue 1, 24 October 1887, Page 2

THE PROPER CHANNEL.

A few days ago a letter appeared in tho Wanganui Herald over tho signature “ Kakaramea,” setting out the inconveniences arising from the present railway time-table. Some of those inconveniences are unquestionably over-rated, while the correction of others may bo urged with perfect fairness, Tho change of time table is, for instance, no worse at Kukaramca than at any station, great or small, on the Wanganui-New Plymouth line ; and wo are not inclined to think that the settlers of Kakarameu are mentally of a lower order than any others, or that their memory ns a community, is abnormally had. “Kakaramea” says:—“lf v:t miss the 11. Id train on Thursday, wo must wait till Sa urday, or walk to Pa tea or Manutahi to catch tho train We are two days and two nights without a train. ’ How “ Ivakaramea ” can make that last sentence fit with tho former one is somewhat difficult to understand, for he says if wo miss the train on Thursday wo must wait till Saturday. lie thereby makes it abundantly clear ihat there are trains ou Thursday aud Saturday, and immediately says' * “ wo arc two days and two nights without trains.” Where he jams in his “ two days aud two nights ’ wants pointing out in some more lucid language ; besides, it is scarcely fair to expect a poverty-stricken Government to run trams at a huge less, simply for the benefit of a few laggards, who manage 44 to miss tho 11.Id train,” The non-stopping of the express train at Xakaramea, is no doubt a departmental error of judgment, aud is one of thoce things “no fellah can understand,” and probably only requires pointing out to he rectified but a, vir? tualiy, annonymous letter is not the/

way to obtain redress. Kakaramea as a community, is of very considerable importance, both commercially and politically, and it would but have to make its voice heard to obtain such a concession as the stopping of a train at its station. It has the ear of the County Council through two clear headed and far seeing representatives; it has also, by virtue of commercial relation, the ear of tho Patea Borough, it can, therefore, at any time, command the assistance of the County Chairman and the Mayor, who in turn, can now command the assistance of two members of the House, and with such leverage at its call, Kakaramea has hut to sot the train going in its proper channel to secure the much-needed redress. An express train that can stop at Mokoia, a flagstation at a point where “next-door-neighbours ” are miles apart, can be stopped at a station in a town district, which is iu the midst of comparatively small country holdings, and we shall be much mistaken if the concession, properly asked for, is not very speedily granted.