THE BLENHEIM-PICTON EAILWAY.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXVII, Issue 98, 28 April 1891, Page 2

THE BLENHEIM-PICTON EAILWAY.

It is part of the duties of a newspaper to criticise and suggest where it thinks criticism, or suggestions would be for the public good. In this spirit we approach the line of railway between here and Picton. Not with a view to any captious criticism, nor yet with the object of blaming the local officials. It is however, wo bilievo, perfectly true that loading m Picton is much delayed and hindered by a lack of trucks, and rolling stock generally, and that m consequence there is great dissatisfaction. For this the Railway Commissioners are no doubt to blame, though it must be remembered that as the section is one of the worst paying m the Colony they can hardly be expected to put on a large quantity of rolling stock. We would however suggest to Mr Buick that he should interview or write the Commissioners to see if some more trucks cannot be given us. That is our first suggestion, now for a criticism. We hear from those who are actively engaged m sending stuff through to Picton that if the return of trucks were better managed, and more brought back m the afternoon, m place of so many m the morning that it would be possible to load on them m time for the morning train, and got on with ship loading much more expeditiously. This is a matter the manager should see to. Criticism number two is that the district manager should reside m Blenheim, not m Picton, and bo be able to study better the requirements of the district which is to do the direct shipping through Picton. What would be thought of the manager of the liness to Port Chalmers, or Lyttelton, if they had their head-quarter 3 at these ports and not where the business naturally centred. We are not accusing Mr Christophers of any lack of attention to duty, but simply desire to point out that it might be better for the line, and for the district if he had his headquarters here. These are small points, but they go to make up the aggregate of complaints which are continually repeated about this line, and if removed would help us on considerably.