WHICH STATION?

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 90, 16 April 1920, Page 7

WHICH STATION?

10 THE EDITOR,

Sir, —As an old retired railway man, may I be permitted to suggest that Mr. M'Yilly, the General .Manager of Railways, be.asked to amplify his statement that it would be unsafe for the Prince's special train to be run on from Thorndon 1, by telling us what constitutes the danger? Why it should be dangerous he does not state. Let some reliable reporter of your staff inquire from practical men, such as foremen shunters, yard foremen, permanent-way inspectors, enginedrivers who 'know this supposed quartermile of danger zone and hear what they haye to say about the matter. It is of no lise to accept the bald statement of some danger. Our Governors, past and present, and I believe Lord Kitchener, have started from La-mbton and were not killed. Trains have as a matter of fact passed between Thorndon and Lambton for years past. ,It wouW be an ea-sy matter to have the short line between the two stations carefullj guarded, and extra men stationed at , facing points. The landing of the Prince at Thorndon would be nothing short of a. scandal.—l am, etc., / " OLD HAND. 14th-April.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—l am surprised at "Ex Loco" not sufficiently enlightening the public with his letter re the arrival of His Royal Highness at Wellington. His statement regarding troop trains arriving at Lambton from the Manawatu is correct, as my persona; experience probably goes further. Seeing that the Welfare League has .taken a bold and fearless stand in matters of public interest I am astounded that it should allow the public, whose interest it claims, to be gulled by statements such as those advanced. Surely Mr. M'Villy must be aware how extensively the three roads between the two .yards are used day and night for the passage of engines, rolling stock with live stock, and which has, by the nature of railway^ work, to travel at a far greater speed than that at which the Royal train would be required to travel. Is it that Mr. M'Villy recognises that tfie Thorndon Station buildings, which were previously owned by the Manawatu Company, are move up-to-date than the Government station? The Royal train is being elaborately overhauled and equally elaborate..precautions will be taken, to ensure.its.safe running ; also. it will bo piloted by a-nother train conveying the brains of the railway service and the controlling brains of the Dominion, and the roads will be efficiently interlocked for safety. All that is required for the safe passage is that either of these three roads must be -clear fifteen minutes before arrival of the pilot train, which precedes the Royal train,by fifteen minutes, and no vehicle or obstruction of any description to intervene.—l am, etc.,

E.C.C.