THE THROUGH EXPRESS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13765, 2 June 1908, Page 6

THE THROUGH EXPRESS.

-- — "'»'.. —— DAY OE NIGHT SERVICE? '. FEELING IN THE CITY. The publication in the Herald of the Government proposals for time-tables for expresses between Auckland and Dunedin and Auckland and Invercargill, when the North Island Main Trunk line is opened, excited considerable interest in the city, and varying opinions were expressed as to which proposal would be of the most benefit to,-- the North .Island. " The Mayor, in the course of some remarks to a Herald representative on the subject, said he had not had time to carefully examine the pros and cons of either proposal, but, recognising the difficulties there were in adjusting the time-table to suit the convenience of all parties, he was inclined to think that the suggestion that the express should leave Auckland at eight p.m., reaching Wellington at five p.m. the next day, would, bn the whole; be more convenient from a passenger and a mail point of view than the proposal to leave Auckland at six a.m. and reach Wellington at midnight. " One fully realises that leaving Auckland at night would be a disadvantage to passengers who wished to see the beauties of the surrounding districts en route," continued the Mayor, "but presumably it is a question between this and the expedition of the passengers and the mails." An Auckland Government official, who is in a position to judge the requirements of Auckland travellers, said :-—" From the Southern, people's point of view the proposal to have a night train from Auckland is all very well, because they have a settled time-table," he said; -"but the majority of people who will travel to Wellington will want to see the country, and night travelling won't suit them. Very few people will want to go right through from here to Dunedin or Invercargill, or vice versa ' The suggested time to be allowed here for a clay in Auckland is not sufficient. I should say that a daylight service for the North Island is very important, and I approve of the Government suggestion for the day service in the daytime for us. Most of the travellers at first will be tourists, and the night service will only be good for those who are using the line for business purposes. The traffic for through passengers will doubtless grow in time, but at the outset the Main Trunk will be largely a tourists' line/ and we must consider them."