The Guardian And Evening Star with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5 , 1929. RAILWAY RETURNS.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 October 1929, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5 , 1929. RAILWAY RETURNS.

There are some isiiteresting statistics to he found in the 'appendix to the Railways Statement. The value of the revenue at the ten stations of the Westland section is as follows in order of merit:—' ' '

In regard to passenger traffic, the folloing were the numbers booked, omitting season tickets:—Grey-mouth, 99,-2-19; Rumingn, 27,573; Hokitika, 22,OuG; Reefton, 12,696; Stillwater, 10,403; Jtoss, 8,811 and Kumara 4,495. Hokitika heads the list in timber exports, the total railed being 15,614,200 fpet;..Kumara, 12,976,600; Ross, 5,631,the three principal stations. Ross, with 156-s.head, sent away most cattle; Kumara, 1229, being second on the list; and Reefton third, 915. In regard to sheep, -Reefton headed the list with 14,646; Ross, 11,236, being second. The figures of the total volume of trade given above are -interesting, especially when compared with, such centres' as Ashburton, £37,290; and Oamaru, £34.887. There can be little doubt that the volume of trade connected with the Westland section, is an important feature of the railways returns. For some time now there hn« been a growing increase in the volume of traffic through the Arthur’s Pass tunnel, indicating Hint business not bv anv means diminishing. This fact should he noted in relation to the service rendered by the railways. Particularly is tliis the ease in regard to this district. For a long time now.the travelling public has been comohiining of the nnor osrviee given to this end of the ling Tim so-called “e v nross” from the East- Const is invariablv a mixed •tra’ii, and passengers from Christchurch have something of an ordeal in completing the remainder of the tbron<di trio bV the journey from GVvinouth to Hokitika. This station v : elds a greater income to the Ropartmcnt than e'Ther Ashburton or Oamaru, but the passenger service is not In- anv weans comparable. Xow that the roods service has increased so greatly, it is not too much to expect the Railwav Department to sever the goods traffic from the through trains on “express” days, and give the passengers the benefit of a quicker run to their destination. The district is a generous contributor to the railway revenue,

and with the forest remaining and stock increasing and produce growing, there is certain to lie well sustained traffic from this end of the line.' Probably the district is suffering unduly because it is at the end of a section, but the section is, relative to other New Zealand sections, earning so substantially that the requirements of the people should merit some fair consideration from the authorities. All attempts to the past to improve the service have had a very chilly reception. Recently the mail service . Ims been sadly dislocated by the re-arrange-ment of the goods- train service, thus placing an additional penalty on the commercial section of the community. It dees not seem fair to have these additional drawbacks placed to the disadvantage of the district, when as a producing centre the place is doing so much towards'the earning capacity of the railways. The whole situation seems ripe for review and it is to be hoped the authorities will soon realise the injustice the district is suffering under.

Greymouth ... ... £49,fi72 Bewanui '... • ... 48,532 Htinanga ... ... 46,9ol Hokitika 40,276 Beef ton 3 i ,51,4 Blackball ... 31,041 Stillwater ... 30,157 Otira ... ... 23,2*2 Kuni am ... 20.526 Boss ' 19,039