WAIAU TRAIN SERVICE

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21090, 15 February 1934, Page 7

WAIAU TRAIN SERVICE

TO IKE r.DIIOI'. Or TBI I'RE.ia. Sir,—The railway authorities are always' asking the public to patronise the railways; but do not run a convenient service. If a person from my district (Waiau) wishes to spend a day in the city it means two nights at a hotel ;'s the train arrives too late to do business. Incidentally, the time of departure from Waiau is always being are nearly double railway fares- but returning the same day deletes'hotel bills and allows less expenditure of time. Railway travelling breaks into three days for Waiau P °Now if the authorities could see their way clear to substitute an early morning train, returning same day, t?° weekly, for the present service people might feel inclined to obey the authorities' appeal. Another thing that compares unfavourably with the buses are the charges for goods. The bus takes up to 141b for 6d and a box with a small animal for Is—free if you are a passenger The railway charge is 2s Bcl for animals, whether you are a passencer or not. I am voicing the opinions of Waiau. Hoping for an improvement.—Yours, etc., SERVICE Waiau. February 11, 1934. IA statement from the Railway Department says: "When a tram service was provided to enable Wa.au district residents to travel to Chi slchurch and return the same day the patronage was very meagre., and the department could not, Ihevcore. continue the service. The departuie time of the present Tuesday, Thuisday. and Saturday train from Waiau is about 25 minutes earlier during the winter months, when there is very little Jtraffic to contend with The earlier departure enabled the train to undertake a little mtiia work on the road by picking up goods which would otherwise have to wait until vt.thcient roods are offering to warrant the runiiin" of a goods train. The parcels rate bv rail is 31b for 6d and 4 to 141b for Is." The excess luggage charge is Is 4d up to 281b, and it is considered that these charges are not unreasonable for conveyance for a distance of 82 miles."!