SUBURBAN RAILWAY SERVICE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19255, 20 August 1924, Page 10

SUBURBAN RAILWAY SERVICE.

TO TnE EDITOR. Sir, —I notice by your columns that the Duncdin-Palmerston train will be delayed every Saturday until G. 25 p.m. It is unfortunate that those responsible for this alt-oration could not have foreseen what a boon it would have been to those who wished to see some of the keenly-contested football games in the past season if this alteration had been made sooner. When it is made so late in the season it may not secure the support to warrant such a procedure in the future. Lately your columns have been taken up with discussions on the shortage of bousing accommodation in the city. Proceeding north as far as Wnikouaiti one will notice hundreds of small cotta.ges lyinS idle, simply because the Railway Department doe 3 not cater for the owners of them. For a few months in the year it gives a week-end excursion train. A man's family car. visit, his country home, while he himself is forced to bachelonse except for the week-ends. The progress, that i 3 to be seen at the numerous bays on the harbour-side, and mainly since the Lower road was opened to motor traffic, shows that the public will grasp an opportunity that is offered to it. Why not give people a chance to occupy homes along the railway line throughout the year by providing a daily train service that will allow the working man to reach the city .'st 7/15 a.m. and return, say, at 5. 'TI or 6.27 p.m.? There may be a few individuals who would object to early rising in order to proceed to the city, but later on, after a trial of the service, they might become reconciled to it. As there are always numbers of carriages lying idle in the different yards, as assisting engines are used in running up and down the north line, and as there is no lack of assistants on the passenger trains, there would be nothing to lose by a trial of this scheme for the summer. We have the eubuiban fare as far aa Evansdale. Let us now have the suburban service. I am sure the public will be better satisfied than it is.—l am, etc., " Nevek Vsntube, Neves Win."