TIME-TABLE APPROVED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18888, 22 December 1924, Page 10

TIME-TABLE APPROVED.

TARANAKI TO AUCKLAND. MOTOR TO TE KUITI. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] NEW PLYMOUTH. Saturday. The fact that the alteration in the running of the Main Trunk express will bring New Plymouth within 12 hours of Auckland by motor and train was stressed by Mr. Gordon Fraser at the meeting cf the New Plymouth Tourist and Expansion League. Mr. Fraser pointed out that under the new timetable the Main Trunk express would arrive in Auckland about midnight, passing through Te Kuiti about 7 p.m.) It would be possible to leave New Plymouth about mid-day by motor and join the train at Te Kuiti, arriving in Auckland 12 hours, later.

Mr. Fraser said lie understood that certain of the inland towns of the Auckland Province were objecting to the new time-table on the ground that it was inconvenient to them as it entailed staying in Auckland two nights. He suggested, therefore, that the Tourist League should join with the Chamber of Commerce as a deputation to the Minister for Railways, when he visited New Plymouth, and express their approval of the proposed time-table. They were not concerned whether the train arrived in Auckland at midnight or 10 p.m., but they should affirm the principle of the daylight trip instead of' travelling by night. There was a possibility of the traffic from Taranaki to Auckland being diverted overland instead of by steamer. The fare was more expensive, but it must be remembered that it had been based on the mud roads. Those conditions were being improved, and with those improvements a reduced /fare could be expected, until it would probably mean that the motor fare would be 30s per passenger. The train fare was 19s sd, so that the whole trip would be little more expensive than by steamer. He moved that the Tourist League join with the Chamber of Commerce in waiting on the Minister. The motion was carried unanimously.