FAST TRAINS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 289, 7 December 1933, Page 10

FAST TRAINS.

DOMINION SERVICE.

SPEED AND COMFORT. OPINION OF AN AUSTRALIAN. The railway service of New Zealand was praised by Mr. A. P. .Clayer, chief train controller of the South Australian railways, in an interview with a representative of the "Press" in Christchurch. Mr. Clayer, who is on a brief health visit to the Dominion, praised the speed of New Zealand trains, and the comfort of the passenger carriages on the lines he had travelled over.

'Since lite arrival in New Zealand, said Mr. Clayer, he had been greatly ini,-' 2>ressed by the speed maintained by the railways of the Dominion on the narrow gauge tracks. It far exceeded the speed of many South Australian broad gauge trains, and it certainly exceeded the speed of narrow gauge lines in his State. One of these was the line from Broken Hill to Peterborough and Port Pirie, on which the average speed was never more than 40 miles an hour. In addition, the speeds in New Zealand were as good as those maintained on broader gauges in Australia. «

The passenger rolling stock of: the New Zealand trains compared very well indeed with any train in Australia. The carriages and sleeping berths were comfortable, and, in addition, heating and electric fans, were provided. The 1 Melbourne to Adelaide express was not so equipped, although it was very hot in the summer and cold in the winter.

Fears Dispelled. "When I arrived in Wellington a fortnight ago- my first impressions were not good, for it was a cold and wet afternoon," Mr. (Jlayer continued. "I had to go along to the railway, station, and I found that there was not one, but two, both of which seemed to me out of date. I wondered what sort of a railway service I had struck, but I was soon informed that a new station was- being built, and my fears about other aspects of the service were quickly ■ dispelled when I saw New Zealand trains and travelled on them. The Auckland railway station is very fine, and is. something on the lines of our own station at Adelaide, which was built about 12 years ago. "We in Australia are up saW competition with our railway? as you* in New Zealand. In the past I am afraid that we have been rather conservative in our atl,itude to the public in fares and freight rates. It appears that to compete with road transport we must reorganise our system of rates and fares, and in this respect we are now doing something in Our goods rates book was formerly practically a copy of the old English rates book.

Moving With, the Times. "While that was good enough for the old days when revenue was the principal thing the Government wanted from the railways, now we. must move with, the times, and : reorganise our system of rating., Consequently South Australia is issuing; a new. freight rates hook which I hope will he more on lines which will eliminate a, large number, of the- classes we have in our present rate book, and bring many of the commodities the country storekeeper wants under the same general'rate, as is done by the rdad services/ •• - '.

"It is also necessary to recognise that a country cannot do without railways, road services and shipping. It is a matter of co-ordinating the three in the handling of passengers and goods, especially in the country districts." In .conclusion, Mr. Clayer said that since his arrival in New Zealand he had received the greatest consideration from the heads of the Railways Department with whom he had come in contact. They and the district traffic managers had" been untiring in their efforts /for his comfort.