TIRADE BY A TRAVELLER.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 669, 20 November 1909, Page 6

TIRADE BY A TRAVELLER.

-r 'AGAINST:' ; NOTiTH'mAkrJjTEAINS/^''■; WELLIjiIGTON TEADESPBOPIE 'pbAISED; ■■ , -, (Bi TeleErabhJ-Speclal- Oorreaiion<ieDu' ,: '■■ ':;■■"■.' "'V'! ■■'..' Christchurfchy I November 19i Br.. Thacker, who returned to Christoliurchyesterdayvfrom, a'-, visit to" Auckland 'and "other :,piaoes .-in..the .North'.lsland^. tells J a', reporter' 1 that; many.'of'-;;his'; experiences'.'gave Mm' : -'d'e-;. ligh tj. but. some/caused , vhim'great. annoyance: .Hisf.anuoyandes.rbegan befbre';he. left : the boun-' daries of Christ'church when he realised that it would: be much .better if; paesengere' luggage could bo sent right through-to v'WeUington. without any bother;.': He criticised very severely the eleeping-car of the train on. the Main'-.Trunk-line. )"The.berths;"-he said, "are apparently, as, uncomfortable as possible, and the' arrangements are absolutely'discreditable. -The bunks are, as hard -as boards,, and' tho • bed' clothing supplied is inadequate. :■ The venti-lation.MS-bad;,. and;;:if .the door, is opened, everybody, who passes-iup and' down- tho train' may, , If tho -.window is-opened- the'eompartment is covered ; with dust." Dr. Thacker believes that.itvwill.ibe. necessary to , , ha've through , sleeping rcarriagee • reserved' for •'• pas-' sengere. who intend ,to.go all :the way' from Wellington to Auckland. • This would prevent the, .of; 1' passengers " -going in -and r out '' all ■ 'among - 'the .-.line, and.would do away with-the present "scandalous; arrangements." .. One of. tlie • disadvantages.of the journey: lies:in-the fact that the passengers douot see several'jif :tlie, niost picturesque . scenes- along ; the - route as they are passed- in the darkness. ■■:;•■;.--. ■■^ , Dr. Thacker ;was so -.disgusted with .his' ex-, penences on ,the Main Trunk-line Vthat he de.cided to come baok as far as' possible by • motor(car .-with'-. Mrs.; Thacker j.and.: a"■ friend.. Ho" drove in a' 10 horse-power ■ car 'Which came over tho roads in-the Waikato which should shame, the Government,' the car . sometimes intq.; holes. that almost' hid , it from sight.,' Hrtlinks-that the-GoVerninent should 1 do something_to make an imprbyemerit in' the" Wanganui Kiver service!-, A suggestion' he makes is,that the Government should macadamise.the road from Pipiriki to the Mains Trunk line .at: Ohaknne,.' so. that.iit.might be-'used by, coaches 1 and motor-cars from•• both tbo Auckland and the Wanganui ends. -The train journey from Wanganui to' Wellington,: ho thinks,.- is far- too-slow, -and' , the ; accommodation is quite inadequate. , " . " Dr. Thacker's bitterest, complaint; howover, is;reserved,for Christchurch itself.: "In Wellington," ho said,:" I:found that I can buy, ■for lls., an article' that I: could, not buy in Christchurch for. less.than iSs." - The-trades-people .in Wellington are far ahead of tlie tradespeople , in. Christchurch.- .Articles aro not sold in l . Christchurch'until "a fortnight after they Have.'.been: in; the.'shops in Wellington.'. . Ladies -in. Wellington are; wearing', a fashion of dresses which ladies in Christchnrch havo not yet seen, and the only can so of this is the fact that Christchurch is not connected .with the sea. Both Wellington- and Auckland aro leading away from Christcliurch, and, unless wo have, the tunnel dynamited; or got the canal -at once/ we shall be left in tho lurch."■"-.'-.".■, ■ .■;•'..'-.'.■-. .« ■-■:-■■'.■