The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 1901. RAILWAY FACILITIES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 142, 10 July 1901, Page 2

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 1901. RAILWAY FACILITIES.

Tee question of railway facilities is at the present time attracting a good deal of attention, aod it is generally recDgnised that if the colony is to continue prosperous Declines must be opened up and the train set vies on the opened! lines improved. In the excitement of departing contingents, commonwealth celebrations and the Koyal visit, the agitation for railway construction to connect Opuna'io with the present railway system from Stratford or Eltl.am and via the Carrington Koad, seems to have been dropped, but we hope to see it taken up again now the excitement is subsiding. The Stratfo d-Whaoga-momona line is, we are glad to see, making steady progress, and there is] little doubt but that the line will be open to Toko by Ohristmas as the Hon. Hall-Jones promised. If proper energy is shown the liee should bd well on towards Pohokura by the oad of the summer, as there are no serious difficulties in this length. It will be necessary, however, t« see that provision is made for pushing on the work. the meantime a demand is being made to increase the nundber of through mail trains from New Plymouth to Welliagton. The request is that these trains run d»ily instead of only four days a week as at pre-ent. This would be greatly appreciated all along the line north of Hawcra, qui e independently of the question of the through traffic to Onehunga. In connection with these mail tr>ics there is great need of improvement in the timetable. We understand Mr. D iy, the Stationmaster at New Plymouth, is moving in the matter of shortening the time on the journey, and running a train before the mail train to pick up pa sengtrs at (stations where the mail trains do not slop. Theie sre a number of stations where people are put to a goid dial of tiouble thiough the mail trains not stopping, and it is thought if a train rues before the mail train and p cks up these, that the mail train could run faster and shorten the tim? considerably. The mail train now leaves New Plymouth at 7 a m., and dees no", reach Wellington till 920 p.m., whereas it is considered quite possible for it to leave at 8 a.m. and airive at 8 p.m. Tie hour's d slay in the m jrning would be a great b on to passengers by the steamers from Oaehunga, and the shortening the time on the whole journey would be very much appreciated by.the general body of travellers. Our Auckland contemporaay, the Herald, in advocating the daily through train, expresses the opinion that if it was staited the s'eimers would soon follow. Mr. Ward, on the other band, has promised to run the trains as seon as the steamer companies intimate their willingness to run steamers to connect. The Ngipuhi could easily manage the Saturday trip in addition to her pres'nt service, and if the Gairloch was put on for a weekly trip on Wed' esday the service would be complete, aud we believe satisfactoiy to all parties.