NEW PLYMOUTH-NAPIER RAILWAY SERVICE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 184, 8 September 1909, Page 2

NEW PLYMOUTH-NAPIER RAILWAY SERVICE.

J It is to be regretted that the Taraaaki Chamber of Commerce has somersaulted on its previous decision to oppose ant ■ change in the mail train time-table that would mean delay in the arrival of the train.in New Plymouth. The Chamber on Friday night unwisely, in our opinion, decided to co-operate with the Palmers, ton North Chamber in trying to arrange daily through communication between Napier and New Plymouth, provided the arrival of the mail train at New Plymonth is not later than 8.30 p.m. To our mind, this is retrogressive step, one that would seem to show that the members of the Chamber are not in touch with public opinion on the subject. It will be generally conceded that through communication with Napier is not undesirable, but it can*h» purchased at too great a price to our interests. Through travelling between Aapier and New Plymouth is. we a-e convinced, in only very occasional demand and we fail to see wherein any considerable advantage would be irain-d by conceding it on the terms proposed If the trains can be accelerated to make communication possible, we would warn !y support it, but to delay the time of arrival of the mail train in New P!v-

mouth would -be distinctly inimical to I the best interests of the town and port. When this subject was previously considered, it was pointed out that any d"lay in the train service that would mean a later hour of departure of the boat forOnchunga would be extremely inconvenient to shipping interests a-.vl also out of harmony with the Auckland railway time-table. While it will b> granted that the passenger service to

Onehunga is not what it was at that time, we arc of opinion that a very con. Biderable portion of it will be re«aiV,J and that a more frequent service will ere long be warranted. Were the request of the Chamber acceded to by the Railway Department, therefore,' the chance of reviving the shipping servi-e as was pointed out by Mr. Stanley Shaw at the meeting, would be remote 'indeed To our way of thinking, (he position now, and when the subject was previdiscussed, has not altered one iota, a ltd there i s equally as much reason for opposing the proposal now as there was then. We sincerely hope the Kailway Department will refuse to accede to the ill-advised request, but will endeavor to make some other arrangement by which the desired through coiniiiir.iication with 'Napier might he achieved