A Rural Revolution

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 143, 18 June 1924, Page 11

A Rural Revolution

IT is generally admitted that the coining of the motor has practically revolutionised modern life, and in no sphere is the influence of the motor seen so conspicuously as in the country. The change has been noted from time to time in the special issues of "The Evening Post," but every year shows some new development, and it is necessary again and again to revise and extend earlier surveys. For instance, the rapiddevelopment of seaside resorts on the West Coast of the Forth Island from Wellington up to New Plymouth is largely the result of the greatly enchanced facilities for communication afforded by the motor. It is the motor that has mostly helped to make such places as Titahi Bay, Plimmerton, Pukerua, Paekakariki, Paraparaumu, Waikanae, Otaki, Levin and Foxton Beaches. In America along the New Jersey and Long Island coasts, with the huge population of the Alantic States at their back, the development has been so extraordinary that special roads are being constructed to carry the motor traffic from city to shore. The Dominion, of course, is a long way from that stage yet. Wherever, though, over the countryside the conditions are favourable, as .in the great Manawatu district, the motor has made a tremendous difference in rural life. The change was anticipated in the "Post's" first Manawatu special. The level country fairly thickly populated, with good metalled roads, lends itself to the use of motor transport and the farming community has been quick to seize on its advantages. In no district of the Dominion are there more motors in proportion to population, unless it is in Taranaki with its specially constructed roads. No statistics of the density of motor traffic seem to be available and one can only judge by the 'number of cars seen about Palmerston North and its vicinity. The ratio of cars to population must run up to something like American standards in that district. Every farmer seems to have his car and modern houses are seldom constructed without some provision for a garage. This is the natural progress of a movement which started nearly twenty

years ago, but, as mentioned' earlier in the introduction to this issue,- there has recently been a development which is having a formidable effect on railway transport both of passengers and goods. The reference is, of course, to the public motor services which have been started by private individuals or" by limited companies and which are ramifying throughout the Manawatu district with Palmerston North as a centre. The same movement is also taking place in other parts of the Dominion wherever the circumstances lend themselves to a prospect of success. From Palmerston North there are daily and regular motor services, "to Levin, to Foxton, to Feilding, to Ashurst, to Wanganui, and to Marion, including intervening places on the road. Needless to say, there are return services. The fares are such that the services are widely patronised, the motorbus and car companies are prospering and only the railways and the roads are suffering. Obviously, this is a case of the long-felt want supplied. The public will, in the long run, go where it gets the best service, even if it has to pay a little more for it, and between railway and motor passenger fares to the same place there is really not much difference, while for convenience and saving of time the^motor has it. Take Palmerston and Wanganui, for example. The trains are four-a-day each way, taking roughly from three to "six hours. These motor services—there are more than one—do it in two hours"'and pick you up and land you pretty well where you want. '.' "... ..'.;..„'... The consequence, is that the local railway trains are not well patronised., The railway service is little better than it was twenty years ago, but there were many more passengers then; people had no alternative. Now they can either go by their own car, if they have one, or they can take the motorbus or coach. If they are anywhere oa the main route of the cars, tiiey can be picked up at their own doors or at the nearest corner. No wonder tie services are popular and the railway languishes. One see 3 daily trains running practically empty. They cannot he expected to pay under such cn-cnin-stances.