RAILWAY FACILITIES.

Wairarapa Age, 16 March 1922, Page 2

RAILWAY FACILITIES.

(To the Editor.) Sir, — I was one who accompanied that large and influential deputation that came by special train from the Wairarapa some two sessions ago to impress on the Government and Mr Massey the absolute necessity of getting a more up-to-date and easy route over the Rimutakas. I think the deputation made things very clear, and obtained the sympathy of Mr Mlassey.

Now, sir, what has been done? Absolutely nothing. , The commercial travellers are giving the railway management a much deserved gruelling, and likewise the director of Linco-ln College*. There were a few representative gentlemen who made a journey over a proposed route, but I think that that party was only used as a sop, and the whole thing was “inspired.” Since I’ve been in Wellington I’ve learned that money is no object with the Government at all. It flows like water in certain directions best known to the authorities. The Wairarapa district should have as much consideration as any other, but what do we find ? Some few years ago the Department duplicated" the Hutt line and went to enormous expense in erecting up-to-date signalboxes with absolutely the latest system, costing many thousands 'of pounds. Now they are pulling ail this expensive gear out and putting another elaborate and expensive paraphanalia in its place. The whole cost of the new and the old together must be in the vicinity of £250,000. Why put a new system in, where an already good system is successfully operating, while many districts such as our own are in urgent need o ordinary decent railway facilities. 1 am led to believe that the Governimported a specialist to get this expensive luxury going at an enormous salary. Why does the Government howl about curtailing expenditure, retrenchment, etc., when at the same time they can scrap an already good system costing thousands, from which no returns will now be available, as no concern in this country uses it. Surely the commercial men in this country can stop this waste while the manager is losmg £4OOO a day. I think most business men would" wer , their manager with “make it ” I would like my friends in the oadly railwayed Wairarapa to know how one “railway child” can have one expensive garment bought for it whilst the one it is already wearing has not even been soiled, and the other ch&dren are neglected.—l am etc., ... G. HARRIS. w ellingifon.