RAILWAY SERVICES

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 175, 20 April 1929, Page 11

RAILWAY SERVICES

Sir, —In this morning’s paper is a letter by “Constant Traveller” which I endorse. The Railways Department said it welcomed constructive criticism. I thought I had supplied plenty of constructive criticism, but evidently I do not know what constructive criticism is. The Railways are fond of talking about progress — splendid progress. Trains arrive in Auckland and Wellington late. Trains are stuck at intermediate , stations for some inscrutable reason. No one knows anything, and the officials allow the people to stay in carriages while they might have time to get a good dinner or at least refreshment Then we have faster services on the Hutt line —engines rushing along with a lot of carriages, no one knows how old. I saw some like them in Christchurch, and perhaps in Auckland fully a quarter of a century ago. We have up to date engines drawing a lot of old carriages along. More than that, we have the Upper Hutt train delayed through lack of a double line to Mailing from Wellington, and from Silverstream to Upper Hutt—two necessary wants. There are other things that need the consideration and pjogressive spirit of the Railway Department, in order that they may be brought up to date, which things rather discount the boast of railway efficiency.

The Railways used to think that they were absolute masters of the situation until the motor buses and lorries came along. They could not foresee the consequences of their, short-sighted nolicy.— I am. etc., , PETITIO. Wellington, April 18.