THE RAILWAY SERVICE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2299, 24 March 1898, Page 27

THE RAILWAY SERVICE.

(From Our Own Correspondent. Wellington, March 14. Coming down on the Manawalu Company's train to-night some ot the passengers hailing from the South Island expressed surprise at the comfort of this line in comparison with what is experienced when travelling on the Government lines. To begin with the moment we ltffe the Government line a capital tea was eerved afc a moderate cost in the large dining car, and later on the electric light was turned on in all the carriage?, and passengers could read their books and papers without any undue strain upon their eyes. The luxury of the recently imported up-to-date American cara and the ease with which the powerful engine drew * heavy load were also favourably commented upon . The fact of the matter is that the Government rolling stock is anything but up to date, and South Islanders, could they see how much better things are managed by a private company, would nob resb content with the lesser facilities they have still to pub up with. It is a good many months since I predicted that ib would be found that in ordtr to bLow a satisfactory (state of sffiirs financially the railway plant was being starved, aud hardly a week has passed without some; fresh evidence of this coming to light. The state of matters that prevails on the WellingtonNapier line is now sufficiently alarming to scare timid pagserjgers, for accident after accident has taken place. To-day one more accident has to be added to the rather lengthy li«fc that, has been published during the past few months, for the train that left Wellington at 7 o'clock this morning callided with a sheep train 6n the main line at 12 25 p.m. The brakes of the engine attached to the sheep train would not work, and she ran past tbe station and the Wellington train then came in. No passengers were hurt, bub the sheep train's engine was i disabled. The department is evidently disEatitfied with the working oi" the WelliDgtonNapier service, for I learn on excellent authority that several chaDges of officers are being made, and that a number of men are to be imported from Canterbury an I Otago.