OUR WEST COAST LETTER.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1069, 7 March 1911, Page 5

OUR WEST COAST LETTER.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) TRAINS AND STEAMERS. Whilst in Greymouth, Mr.' Ronayno throw light on some matters that havo of lato been agitating the public mind of .tho West Coast. In replying to a deputation from tho Greymouth Chamber of Commerce, he stated that the number of wagons in uso m tho timber trado hero was fully equal to present requirements. At tho time of tho depression twelve wagon? had been taken&way, but, if the volume of work should justify it, they would be at onco replaced. Speaking of tho alteration in tho railway time-table, which caused the mail train from Christchurch to arrive half an hour later than previously, Mr. Ronayno admitted tho hardship which it entailed on business men. but tho fault did not lie? he said, with the Rail-' way Department.liTho change was mado to suit tho postal authorities,'who held that an additional half-hour was required to sort tho mails at Hcalcy. At first tho Postal Department asked that the train should depart from Christchurch half an hour earlier; but this was impossible. Beforo the change was affected the trains from Otira used to arrive at Greymouth half an hour late, becauso of the delay at Boaloy, and it was deemed better to alter the timetable than to have the trains always lato. How singularly misinformed Mr. Ronayno must be, to be sure I Questioned concerning tho through service to Wellington, the general manager replied that it was impossiblo to grant it. Tho majority of travellers came, ho maintained, by the Main Trunk line, from stations between Invercargill and Christchurch. Many of these desired to proceed'next morning to New Plymouth, Wanganui, or Auckland, and any delay of tho steamer meant tho waste of a day in Wellington, Tho real obstacle to a one-day service between tho West Coast'and Wellington wcro tho steamers. The Maori could easily connect in ten hours, but tho Mararo'a could not do so in twelve, more particularly as this steamer would revert, on March 1, to tho old time-table. If tho Union Company had two fast boats like the Maori it would bo quito easy to comply with tho requirements of West Coasters, but, as things aro, his Department was forced to consider tho majority of tho travellers. In about eighteen months, Mr. Ronavno stated, another section of tho Midland Railway will bo opened, and then it will ho possible to improve the time-table. It will need it!