CORRESPONDENCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 11975, 12 May 1914, Page 5

CORRESPONDENCE.

iWhile this column is open to all, it is underttood that wedo not hold ourseleesresponsiblefor opinions expressed by our correspondents.} Jk A SUGGESTION. W (To the Editor) . Sir,— Tliii want of ;m afternoon train, such as we had before the Government purchased the Manawatu line some years ago, leaving- Masterton about 3 o"clock for Mauriceville, Ek> tahuna, and Pahiatua, has long been severely felt. Representations on tlr. biibjeet have had no effect on the Kailway Department and deputations have been unavailing. Now that a Slot":; Bus Company bus been formed may .1 suggest the advisability of trying, hy way of experiment, the running of a l>ns for passengers between Masterton and Woodville. . Leaving here at o p.m. it would reach Woodville before G p.m., and if loss of time could be avoided, it could make the return journey and arrive in Masterton between 9 "and 10 p.m. The advantage of such a service to country residents would be simply enormous. Instead of being dropped, as they are by rail, at st itions, twelve and fifteen miles apart, passengers could alight near their own hemes and the journey would be nwlo a + . a reasonable hour instead of between »and midnight That the service be well patronised, is, I thiak, tl question. Of course, it would li a>e to be conducted on popular lin.-s. By that, I mean that the fares must be reasonable. They need not be much more than the first class fares by rail. 1 am not sanguine enought to assume , , tbat there might not be the danger of a small loss, especially at first, or uuVil settlers became accustomed and addicted to the new mode of travelling. But the advantages are so manifest th it , cur local bodies and enterprising cit.i- ' zens would be quite justified in providing a subsidy. The time I believo, i? not far distant, when motor travelling by road w.ill take the place of parss< nger traffic by rail and the iron borso •will be left to perform its alow, laborious, and legitimate work of hauling produce and merchandise. In this direction there is no reason why Masterten should not lead the way by strengthening with the aid of petrol its connection with the flourishing country and centres in the north. —I am, etc., A. W. HOGG. Masterton, May 12th, 1914. (In our opinion an alteration in the Tailway time-table would best meet tho needs of the settlers right along the line to "Woodville and would benefit Masterton tradespeople greatly, but if ■rfjJkcann t get back the 4 p.m. train fWtk Masterton by all means let., us iave a service such as that proposed by Mr Hogg.—Ed. W.D.T.).