THE NEW RAILWAY ARRANGEMENTS

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2125, 20 February 1886, Page 2

THE NEW RAILWAY ARRANGEMENTS

Our Te Awamutu correspondent writes :— A great deal of dissatisfaction is fclfe and expressed here at the proposed nlteiation in the railway time-table, which comes in force on the Ist Apiil, by which we shall be dopiived of the evening train. When we weie to have had only only one train a day, and that in the evening a great deal of capital was made of the statement that business people vyould be greatly benefited by the train leaving Auckland at 11 or 11 30. A great deal was said about business men being able to go to town one day and return the next, as they would be able to do their business before 11 a.m., and get back again to their home?. This eNcnse for altering the time-table was a ridiculous one, but absurd as it wa«, a great deal of capital as I have said, was made of it by those in favour of the alteration. It is a remarkable fact, however, that nothing whatever i« said of it now that the evening train to Te Awamutu is tt) be stopped. It will make no difference to people living in Hamilton and districts north of that place as the train stops at Frankton Junction for the night, but it will make a vast diffeience to people living south of Hamilton, for when the new time-table comes into force they must either give up making use of the evening train or stop at Hamilton for the night. Another objection, and to my mind a very good one, its that horses or cattle sent by the goods train must either stop in the trucks all night or be unloaded at Frankton and reloaded again in the morning. Against these disadvantages the fact that Hamilton jwople can come on to this district and return the same day is put in as a set off. A very great advantage, truly, for the Hamilton residents, few of whom honour us with their presence— but this Bet off by no means counterbalances the inconvenience it will canse to the public of this and surrounding districts who have learned to look upon the present time-table as an institution, aud who will not very leadily accommodate themselves to the change. This everlasting tinkering with the railway is getting a little too strong. No sooner do we get accustomed to one alteration than some meddlesome or dissatisfied person in one of our great inland centres interferes, and with a narrow-minded selfishness has pressure brought to bear on the department nnd cause* another cbnnge to be made, so as to make his own little woild the sole gainer. The only thing lam surprised at is that the railway was ever allowed to come any farther than Frankton at all. We hear a great deal of this place being the natural centre of Waikato and a lot of similar nonsense, but other, and better, and more prosperous districts havo an equal claim to consideration at th» hands of the department. We may be lacking in intelligence not to see the wisdom of the new departure, but all the same we do not see it, and the people here, I take it, are just as intelligent a.s those elsewhere. We hear a great deal of the statements of Ministers with regard to economy, and so forth, but there is very little economy displayed in the proposed change. A short time ago a new house was built for the engine-driver at the station here ; this will have to be abandoned when he is removed to Frankton, as will also the guard's house, and the cottage occupied by the enginecleaner. New houses will have to be built far these men and their families, for which the public must pay. All this is to bolster up one place at the expense of the taxpayers. We might have public meetings and express our indignation as much as we liked, but, to use a Hibernicism, "we might as well whistle jigs to a mile-stone" for all the effect it would hay« with the Government when the Hamilton influence is put in the scale against us.

The Hamilton Cemeteries Trust invite toders for d.aininc. Mr G. Harper notifies that his new coach will run between Alexandra and Te Awamutu to meet the trains, He. Mr O'Dca, architect, invites tenders for additions to a house at Rukuhia for the Hon. J. Williamson. We draw the special attention of settlers and residents of Hamilton to the advertisement of Mr R. Peat, saddler, Hamilton West, whose price list is published. Yes ! It is certainly true. Ask any of your friends who have purchased there. Garlick and Cranwell have numerous unasked for and very favourable commendations from country customers on their excellent packing ol Furniture, Crockery, and Glass, &c. Ladirs any gentlemen about to furnish should remember that Garlick and Cranwell's is thb Cheap Furnishing Warehouse o Auckland. Furniture to suit all classes ; also Carpets, Floor Cloths and all House Necessaries. If your new house is nearly finished, or, you are going to get married, visit Garlick and Cranwell, Queen-str«et and Lome-street, Auckland. Intending purckuers can havo a rataloffue j in fte« '