LFROM FOXTON TO WELLINGTON

Manawatu Herald, Volume I, Issue 95, 29 July 1879, Page 2

LFROM FOXTON TO WELLINGTON

TO THE EDITOR OF THE MANAAVATU HEBALD,

Sih — Thirty- two shillings and sixpenny wirth of misery is easily obtainable. I obtained mine by taking a ride by coach from foxton to Wellington. There is an evident want of management on the line. I find no direct fault with the drivers, yet an hour is fixed for starting, and I suppose our half-an-hour's delay in the cold arose from his omitting to mention overnight his mental resolve to take it out in the morning. With the finest resolve to retrieve all time wasted he made our pace from Foxton to the beach somewhat exciting, and we gained it with our blood in healthy circulation with tho vigorous excrcide we had undergone to keep our places in the conveyance. I am unprepared to say if this often ocours, but the proprietary seemed prepared for the direst of casualties, and to do their part respectably, as at Otaki we took on board a handsomely-furnished ooffin, which we did not discharge until all the passengers were found still existing two stages further on.

I could mention the extraordinary positions passengers have to assume — the tall men, with head bowed down, and their belltoppera clasped between their knees, the little ones nearly shoved oat of the coach, the stout ones gasping for breath, and the whole inside so stowed with luggage tha your feet oncj placed in position, are there fixed from stage to stage, so that upon receipt of a dog, which was found an inconvenience by the box passengers, wo had to receive him between our legs, trusting fervently tlmt he hud but shoitly before been dipped in the best of vermin killer, 1 can safely recommend this passage as the cheapest for the object mentioned. Now, Sir, a large amount of unpleasantness to unoffending travellers might be avoided, first, by numbering every Beat in the coach, so that eaoh passenger would know Ir's place, and thereby avoid sitting a quarter of an hour previous to starting, to seouro a position, without which his day might be made even more miserable than it is now ; also, the ever-recurring delays for the purposes of chatting might be stopped, and the time 6aved in the whole distance, and as the drivers now pass over the line daily, such a deprivation would not be harsh upon them. A seven-raile-an-hour service is nothing io boast of on one of the most important lines out the metropolis, and passengers are entitled to more consideration and comfort than that at present obtainable. I am, &c, A Tbavpi.ler.