The Daily News. MONDAY. OCTOBER 21, 1901. THE NEW STEAMBOAT ARRANGEMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 24, 21 October 1901, Page 2

The Daily News. MONDAY. OCTOBER 21, 1901. THE NEW STEAMBOAT ARRANGEMENTS.

In another column will be found the revised timetable whioh will govern the running of the steamers, between New Plymouth and Onehunga, and will come into force on the Ist December. The new timetable has been adapted to fit in with the daily mail trains running between New Plymouth and Wellington after the Ist Novembdr. Both the! Northern and Union Shipping Companies are, we think, to be congratulated on the excellent arrangements made for the convenience of through passengers between Wellington and Auckland, and will, we hope, find no reason to regret their enterprise. New Plymouth and the whole of Taranaki district cannot but benefit by such a marked increase in shipping as the new service will bring to tbe port. We heartily endorse the remarks of our contemporary regarding the important position New Plymouth holds as the first and last port of call for a 1 fast mail service to tho Australian j Commonwealth. But while we are' prepared to cordially co-operate with 1 everyone who desires to promote the welfare of the district, and recognise the value of having a high aim, we would point out that there is much to be done in the meantime. We need not sit down with folded hands while waiting for help to come from outside. One of the first things wanted is an improved train service. It is simply ridiculous that people anxious to visit New Plymouth on busineES or pleasure should be unable to do so until nearly noon. The Waitara train which connects with tbe mail train at Sentry Hill should run right into New Plymouth returning to Sentry Hill in time to meet the up train from Hawera. This would give those settlers living between Waitara and Neiv Plymouth a most convenient train service end not inconvenience any one. Another train should be run between Waitara and New Plymouth about mid-day. A passenger car should also be put on to the goods train leaving New Plymouth at 1 e'clock, and on the goods train arriving at New Plymouth at 2.10 p.m. This would be a great convenience along the line to Hawera, especially for people going sbort distances. Another matter which is urgently needing, attention is the coaching service. It is very little use building up a port and a complete steamer service if facilities are not given to people to reach the port cheaply and expeditiously. Yet the people living between Opunake and New Plymouth on the one side, and Mokau and New Plymouth on the other, have much to complain of in this respect. At a meeting of one of the Farmers' Unions down the coast, Mr Burgess, in the course of a most interesting address, spoke of tbe unfairness of taxing settlers in that district for railways which were of little benefit to tbem, In this matter Mr Burgess voiced a re»l grievance. The remedy is for the Government to subsidise a daily cooch service eo as to placo these sottlers on a more equal footing with these along tbe railway line. As it is, theso settlers are taxed in two ways. Tbey have to pay their share of general and local taxation, and the value of their property is depreciated by its distance from the railway system. Compare the value of land on the north or eouth wain roads with that of lnnd on the main road between Opunake and Ha- j wera and Opunake and Eltham, and tbe difference will be found to be very i considerable, and due to the fact that a' daily coach runs on both the latter. The time has come whon pressure should be brought to bear on the Government to subsidis-! a daily coach on both tha roads mentioned. This would be of great benefit to the settlers, and if the settlers are prosperous the towns will look after themselves. When the enormous expenditure on railways is taken into consideration, a few thousand pounds spent annually in maintaining a daily coach service, each way, between Mokau on the one side and Opunake on the othor, is only what the i people Hying on the route are entitled jto, and would help forward the best .interests of the colony in a substantial : manner. The value of property would be considerably enhanced and the comfort and convenience of settlere advanced very substantially by this course being adopted.