MAIL COMMUNICATION WITH WELLINGTON.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9836, 20 September 1897, Page 3

MAIL COMMUNICATION WITH WELLINGTON.

Tβ THE KDITOK OF THE PRESS. Sir, —An extraordinary letter appeared in your columns on the 15th insfc. over the signature " R." reflecting strongly upon the mail communication between Christchurch and Wellington, and quoting the opinion of some distinguished visitor, expressed in equally extraordinary language, upon the railroad and steamer services in the colony. Both "R." and his friend evidently belong to the class of persons who expect that they should enjoy the same travelling facilities in a colony containing a handful of people as are available in such populous countries as England and Scotland. It is very annoying to sensible men to hear people abusing our railroads because of the moderate speed of the trains, and demanding that the latter should run at fifty miles an hour because this rate is maintained between such cities as London and Edinburgh, all the while ignoring the well-known fact that even between such large centres of population' trains running at a speed of fifty and sixty miles per hour do not pay, but are the outcome of rivalry between competing Companies and used principally as a means of advertising. Our railroad service is quite good enough for the amount of traffic that passes over it, when we consider that the termini of the principal section, Christchurch- and Dunedin, contain a population of about 40,000 each. Aβ a matter of, fact the through traffic between the two places only averages seven passengers per day, and this iucludes the comparative crowds which travel between the two places on the occasions of holiday excursions, race meetings, &c, so that probSbly the average for ordinary business purposes does not exceed four passengers per day. Surely no person of ordinary intelligence would expect for such a return to have placed at his disposal day and night express trains running fifty miles an hour.

With regard to the steamer service between Christchurch and Wellington, no subsidy is given for carrying mails, so that the carrying Company is only called upon to provide such services as the trade demands, and those that are provided are in my opinion considerably beyond what thetraffic between the two ports warrants. During summer there is a daily service, and during winter fixed departures of a special steamer from each place three times per week, beside the opportunities offered by other steamers on odd days. It is no doubt a great inconvenience to Christchurch people that the steamer does not leave Lyttelton until 10 p.m., and therefore only readies Wellington after noon of next day, but this ia because of the late arrival of the express from the south, and the desire of the Union Company—a mistaken one, I think—to give as prompt a dispatch to the Southern mails as possible. This policy, on their part, is a gain to the South, as Dunedin mails and passengers can leave on the one day and reach Wellington the following day ; but it is, at the same time, sacrificing Christchurch to the convenience of Dunedin and the South. It would be selfish for Christchurch people to cavil at this. At the same time, the remedy seems to lie with the Railway Department, who surely could be influenced to despatch the Dcraedin expresa a few hours earlier, allowing the steamer to leave Lyttelton in the afternoon and reach Wellington next morning. The letter of "R." may do good by rentilatim? the latter question, but I cannot understand anyone who appreciates the responsibility of his statements vising such foolish-language as is indulged in by "R." and his friend.—Yours, &c, FAraPtAY. ChristcUurch, 16th September, 1897.