SPEEDING UP THE MAIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 October 1920, Page 6

SPEEDING UP THE MAIL.

HAWERA RETAILERS' VIEWS, The Hawera Retailers' Association considered at its meeting on Thursday night the proposed changes in the time-table with a view to speeding up the express. The president stated that the first train from the north would not, under the proposed timetable, reach Hawera before 10.23. Mr, Tibbetts, replying to criticism of the new proposals, said the main idea was to reduce the time in getting to Wellington. Mr. Harrop: At present the express stops at a number of small stations, and by cutting these out a lot of time could be saved on a very irksome journey. The effect the suggested changes would have on the Technical School had not cropped up, but he saw no reason why the train should not leave New Plymouth a little earlier than proposed. This would meet the requirements of both towns. The secretary: Twenty-five per cent, of the Technical School pupils come from Eltham. Mr. Harrop said that if the mail train left tarlier it could still speed up and the slow train could be passed at Stratford instead of Hawera, the technical pupils coming by the mail Mr. Bullock: All that we require is an earlier train from the south. In all other respects the present time-table is ideal. Children from the south cannot reach Hawera till 11 o'clock. The secretary: Now Plymouth's proposals do not affect the train from the south at all. The president said they did not want to be too narrow. If the speeding up of the train would save an hour it would be a good thing. Ml. Harrop: It should mean a saving of two hours which would be a big advantage. Replying to Mr. Bullock, tho secretary said that the adoption of th& proposed alterations would mean that Technical School students from Eltham would go •to Stratford instead of Hawera. The secretary also pointed out that they were overlooking the effect speeding up would have in enabling passengers going to Lyttelton to catch the ferry steamer. At present tho mail train often missed the boat. ■Mr. Westaway moved that the association was of 'the opinion that in no circumstances should the mail train arrive in Hawera later than at present. This was seconded by Mr. Bullo?k and carried. It was decided to send copies of the resolution to Mr. MeVilly, tho Minigter for Railways, the Hawera Chamber of Commerce, and the Borough Council.— (Star). •