THROUGH MAIL SERVICE.

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 43, 19 February 1909, Page 6

THROUGH MAIL SERVICE.

i', ■ ADJUSTING THE TIME-TABLES. J3y Telegraph.-—Press association.* CHRISTCHURCH, Thursday. In an interview: this evening, the Hon. J. A. Millar, Minister for Railways, said that he was at present engaged in arranging the new express time-table. It was a somewhat 'difficult matter to fit in the hours to suit everything. The main object was t.o be able to get the mail service through from one end of New Zealand to :the other as rapidly as possible. In order to accomplish this, the ferry boat must arrive at Wellington at 7 a.m. or */.30 at the latest, and even then, to enable the mail to catch both the New Plymouth and the Napier mail trains, some adjustment of .the time-tables on these lines might be required. In regard'to the Southern services, he said, the train must get away from Christchurch about 8 a.m. If passengers were to land in Invercargill at a reasonable hour, the Department would have to consider shortening up the time between the respective termini as far as the mail trains -were concerned. Mr. Millar added that he hoped to get the new time-table out in a week or two, and it would be put into operation \ery quickly after it was finally settled. TRAFFIC ON THE LINE. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. The General Manager of Railways (Mr. T. Ronayne) has just returned from an extensive journey around the North Is-land-railways, and reports that traffic is fairly busy north of Ohakune. There was considerable disorganisation of business through the coal strike at Huntly, and the railway lost a good deal of freight, as coal for consumption in Auckland was imported from Newcastle. Things are quiet south of Ohakune, but Mr. Ronayne found a very hopeful feeling among sawmillers in the Taihape district. Anticipating an improvement in their industry, they are putting down five nety sawmills in that neighbour-1 hood.