LETTERS TO EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 104, 27 January 1930, Page 12

LETTERS TO EDITOR

RAILWAY TRAVELLING \ Sir The slogan, “The Railways'* for the People,” as advanced by the Railway Department of this country, is a farce. As an example of this, the following particulars disclose a lamentaole state ot affairs, and no wonder the numerous service cars are more attractive to the traveiling public. . , Last week an intending lady passenger from Mastertou to Auckland, on the morning previous to travelling, paid for a reserved seat from Palmerston North, and also took out a return ticket from Masterton to Auckland. On ariving at Palmerston North the following day, and inquiring for the reserved seat, she was informed that the wire arrived too late. Returning from Auckland on Saturday, January 18, for Masterton, the lady and numerous other passengers for the Wairarapa, on arrival at Palmerston North were allowed to proceed off the station in complete ignorance of the slip on the line. It was only by accident that the information was available in the town as to the means of transport to Woodville to connect with the Wairarapa express. Apparently it was a case of make your own arrangements. The public would naturally expect the Railway Department to convey them by means of buses to connect with the express in view of the fact that the full fare was paid for the through trip. It was only by chance that the lady in question was not forced to stay the week-end in Palmerston North. The Railway Department should at least have had someone on .the station to advise passengers as to the mode of transport in the circumstances. —I am, etc., USE THE BUS.

Masterton, January 18. [ln reply to the above, the Railway Department explains that particulars of all applications for reserved seats received at Masterton are immediately telegraphed to the reserved seats office in Wellington. In the event of seats not being available, the stationmaster is advised by telegram, and he in turn notifies the intending passenger. In this case, however, owing to the communication being anonymous, it is impossible to ascertain the true position. Apparently there has been some misconception regarding the charges made for motor conveyance between Palmerston North and Woodville recently during the time the line was blocked by slips. Although the Department has no legal liability to pay the cost of conveyance of passengers holding railway tickets if they travel by any other means, it is usually generous in such matters. The first two days during which passengers were held up by the slip, they were taken round the obstacle by motor, arrangements for which transport were made by the Railway Department, free of cost to passengers. Later, when it became certain that the blockage could not be removed for some time, stationmasters, were instructed to post notices that tickets could not be issued for through trip until the line was cleared, also stating the motor charges that would be incurred in the meantime, and also to notify holders of return tickets from Hawke’s Bay that they could not be conveyed beyond Woodville, and holders of returns from the Mnnawatu that they could not be tnkeu beyond Palmerston. Where a sudden emergency prevents a journey being continued, however, the Department provides free conveyance by other means, if possible, and tries to reduce to the utmost all inconvenience to passengers. The Department must leave it to the judgment of the passengers themselves how they will attempt to make the through trip, mid passengers have to accept the responsibility for any expense they incur in travelling by other means. Passengers with return tickets who would, in the ordinary course, have travelled to Wellington via the Manawatu from Napier, had the option of travelling by rail via the Wairarapa at no additional cost, and the same applies to those' 1 who wished to reach Hawke's Bay or Wairarapa from the Manawatu side. Notices drawing attention to the circumstances were prominently displayed on the Palmerston North station, and the absence of any complaints of a similar nature from other passengers would indicate that adequate steps were taken by the Department to apprise passengers of the position.] SEAGOING AS A CAREER Sir, —May I through your columns thank “Wind-jammer” for his letter in < Wednesday’s "Dominion.” in which he

called attention to the omission of my father's name from the article “Seagoing as a Career,” which appeared in your issue of 16th instant. Presumably the writer of the article is not so well acquainted with sailing vessels which hailed from Wellington as he is with those from Auckland and Lyttelton. In addition to my father’s vessels many will remember the Weathersfield, which was owned by the late T. G. Maearthy,' and traded out of Wellington for many years. Another name omitted was that of Mr. W. S. Waterson, who owned several vessels hailing from Invercargill. The passing of the sailing vessel has removed the best training ground for future officers and masters of our merchant service, but if in view of the altered conditions of the profession there were still opportunities for boys to train in steamers then there would be little cause for complaint, but seeing that it is impossible for one-twentieth of New Zealand boys wishing to go to sea to get a start it is time a training ship was established. —I am, etc., T S - HOLM. Wellington, January 21.

OLIVE OIL INDUSTRY

Sir—l beg to suggest that the State Agricultural Department should consider the question of whether olive trees for oil can be grown profitably in northern New Zealand, which is on or about the corresponding lines of latitude to California and Italy, which are noted for olive plantations or groves. In Australia, olive orchards were first started on a large scale by Chaffey Bros., who were Americans, and who initiated the Mildura settlement. I have read that five acres of olive trees will keep a family well in countries around the Mediterranean. California, which I have visited, is about as long as New Zealand, viz., 1000 miles, San Francisco being in the centre on latitude 38 degrees, corresponding to Tauranga. Olive culture there, is one of the oldest fruit industries in that State. The first olive grove was planted in San Diego in 1709 by Spanish R.C. missionaries, and now these plantations are found right up to latitude 41 degrees, the corresponding latitude here running through Paekakariki, near Wellington. California in 1911 had 1,200,000 olive trees in bearing, Los Angeles leading with 320,800 trees. The removal of competition with adulterated oil by the American pure food regulations has given an impetus to the planting of olive trees. Estimates of the production of olive oil in 1911 ranged from 750,000 to 900,000 gallons (Note. —The retail price in New Zealand for olive oil is 14/0 per gallon), and from 1,000,000 to 1,200.000 gallons of pickled olives. I mention these facts in order to show the importance of the olive industry. My chief advocacy is for the use of olive oil, like sauce, at meals in the interests of good physique and health, as those sturdy races around the Mediterranean testify, I have used olive oil with food, hot or cold, for 17 years and I never really enjoyed good health and my meals till I started it. In one orphanage here the children have for dinner raw vegetables minced and covered with olive oil (or hot butter), and'these children are pictures of health. I nm certain, sir, that the majority of New Zealanders and Australians have not yet discovered the excellent food value of olive oil; it being still looked upon ns belonging to the medicine chest. —I am, etc., OBSERVER. Wellington. January 22.