TE ARO SNAILWAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8302, 13 December 1912, Page 11

TE ARO SNAILWAY

A LOSER ANYHOW. To the Editor "N.Z. Times.” Sir, —I endorse your protest against the proposal Co waste moie public money on cue Te Arc railway extension. t notice those interested are putting up a bluff about the patronage of the Wairarnpa trains. I want to ask two questions : 1. How many country people will want to wait about ten minutes at Lambton (while luggage is being discharged) and spend seven minutes or so in a train in order to go where they don't want to go, while they can get a tram at the Lainbtoa doors to at once take them to where they do want to go, for the same or less money? 2. How many townspeople want to leave the tram at the Courtenay place end of section and carry their luggage a con-

siderable distance to Te Aro station, while by staying ip the tram they can be landed at the doors of the Lambton station for the same or. less money?.. Previous experience has shown that at' holiday times many ppople have been forced to go Id Te Aro station when leaving town, by through trains in order to secure seats, but with the train starting from Lambton this is avoided. (D, course local trains from and to Te Am on the big holidays are well patronised, and as many as possible are run to and from there.) - The Wairarapa trains, have now been extended to Te ArO. Logically the Na-pier-New Plymouth and Auckland trains will have to be treated likewise as soon as a new yard at Lambton is completed, also the Palmerston , trains , and some of the' West Coast suburban trains. Under these circumstances, and with goods trains and Shunting trains added, will someone (the Minister for preference) tell ns how the traffic is going to be safely worked over the wharf approaches with any satisfaction to either those on the trains or those dodging the trains and trying to get on and oil the wharf. Overhead or underground, of course! Very well. Where is the money to come from either for construction or interest on construction ? Does, the Minister realise that the bulk of the traffic to and from Te Aro, especially in regard to goods, will pay no extra freight at all, unless a special shunting or haulage charge is imposed; and that therefore the traffic can pay nothing towards even working expenses without a pretty severe charge of this kind? The larger the traffic the larger the loss. As regards the advertising of the extended trains, do the agitators forget that it is not very long since all the trains went to Te Aro, and everybody knew of them and still did not use them to ; an extent worth noticing except in regard to the workers' trains, which have never been taken off? Who is blind, the department or Mr Ji'isher? The department does not need votes. —X am, etc., VIGILANT.