PAHIATUA-PONGAROA SERVICE.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5357, 15 February 1916, Page 2

PAHIATUA-PONGAROA SERVICE.

AN EKETAHUNA GRIEVANCE}

Says the Eketahuna Express: The Pahiatua “Herald” of a recent date thus unburdens-itself: “The contractor for the Pahiatua-Makur*i-Ponga-roa mail service is continuing to deliver the mails to Pongaroa in a very satisfactory manner. Last Saturday, for instance, the coach arrived at the Pongaroa Post Office at 6.20 p.m., while the Eketahuna coach arrived at 10 minutes to seven. As thef Eketahuna coach leaves Pongaroa half an hour earlier in the morning, the return jonrnev via the Pahiatua mute was thus accomplished in an hour less than by the southern route. The Pongaroa-Pahiatua service has latterly found popular favour with passengers.” Now the purpose of this paragraph is evidently to boost the Pahia. tua service and decry Eketahuna, a very dangerous course to take. Some short time back when an Eketahuna resident went out to Pongaroa by the Eketahuna route, and went down to the stables and found that the Pahiatua conveyance had not arrived even then, we did not consider the item warranted a comparison of the routes —for such things will happen. Evidence that the Eketahuna route is growing in favour, as it must do—is quite ample. Increases in pa*ssenger business are considerable, and show what the travelling public think of the Eketahuna route, as the following figures show (it will be noted that the figures are increases and not total receipts): July, £3 15s 4d; August, £l2 11s 6d; September, £26 17s 7d; October. (47 7s 9d; November. £37 6s lOd ; December,' £22 -2s 3d. The January increase is still more remarkable. The total business done (including goods) shows an increase of £SB over the previous record month. When it is taken into account that January is usually a quiet month the moral is apparent. ‘ 1 lie “Herald ’ has seized on a delav s »n one oooasion to magnify a. compani son. Let it go into figures and avi erages and see what conclusion it can then arrive !«t—it will be surprised.