MAIN TRUNK EXPRESS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 170, 17 July 1908, Page 5

MAIN TRUNK EXPRESS.

NECESSITY FOR NIGHT TRAINS. ENPRESSIONS OF APPROVAL In connection with the objection urged against the proposed time-table for th<; Main Trunk express, a representative of the "Star" called upon an official closely associated with the tourist traffic, who endorsed the views expressed by us in last evening's paper. He pointed out that the express time table would be little used by the genuine tourist or visitor, whose average movements would include a visit to Rotorua en route to Wellington, and the inclusion of the Wanganui river trip from Tnnrnarunui to Wanganui. The time-table should be based mainly upon a commercial basis, and, judging from complaints in the past from Australian and commercial men in "eneral about the absence of night trains fn New Zealand, there could be no doubt that this evening train from Auckland would better suit their requirements. Apart also from the convanience and saving of time in this connection, any average traveller would prefer the system as adopted hy all express trains between Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide, of leaving in the late afternoon or evening and arriving at their destination during the following day. In this respect, passengers travelling from Auckland to Wellington would be better off than those moving northward from Wellington, a long tedious day from south being spent in the train, instead of only a portion of the day, as on the journey from the north. Furthermore, he continued, the outward connections arc of vital importance, and to interfere with the present running of the Wellington-Lyttelton ferry sen-ice would be quite out of the question. The Auckland people should leave the matter in the Railway Department's hands, who had, without doubt, fully considered the requirements of the travelling public as well as the mail connections in the general interests of the Dominion. BUSINESS BEFORE PLEASURE. NO ALTERATION LIKELY. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. From enquiries made this morning, I learn that there is no likelihood of the overland express time table being amended. The express leaves Auckland at 8.30 p.m.. arriving in Wellington next day at 3.30 p.m. The north bound express leaves Wellington at uoon, and arrives in Auckland at 7.15 next day. The time-table has been fixed from a busiuess and not a pleasure point of view.