transport services.

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19765, 21 December 1935, Page 9

transport services.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —One of the most valuable services the new Government can undertake is the co-ordination of transport services at important junctions. At least we are expected to believe they are important junctions, but my unhappy experience leads me to believe they are far from important or convenient.

Now it is quite apparent that not all people can travel by the same express trains, nor is it desirable that they should do so. Therefore services should be run to suit the public, and not, as at present, the public made to abide by the transport whims and fancies. Take my own case for instance: Last year I travelled from Auckland to Morrinsville by the Rotorua Limited. When 1 got off there 1 found no bus or taxi to take me on to Te Aroha. The result was a long, weary wait in Morrinsville for thtee hours before a taxi was available. Then when I got out at Te Aroha there was no taxi available to take me to my destination, and I had to send a boy into town on a bioycle to get one for me. Now this year I travelled by the 3 p.m. train to Frankton “Junction." Just becauco the train was about ten minutes late the Cambridge bus would, not wait, and I had to take a taxi into Hamilton to catch it there. In addition, the express stops right up at tlio far end of the platform, and to have to drag one’s suitcase over that ghastly bridge is an effort at least. Coming back to Frankton "Junction” on Tuesday afternoon I had to change both ways at Hamilton, and in addition had to wait in town for an hour and a half for the return bus to Cambridge. Now to expect overseas tourists and visitors to put up with such catch-as-catcli-can transport methods is positively ridiculous and humiliating to them, to say Ihe least of it. We should never expect them to put up with it. To begin with, as Frankton "Junction” is allegedly one of the most important in the country it wants enlirely reconstituting, with adequate access and exit on modern lines. The same thing applies to Morrinsville. Then there should be provided combined passenger and van motor coaches lo operate sliullle-likc from the junctions as far as Thames on Hie one line and Cambridge on Hie other. These motor coaches should be run all through iho month's of December, January, February and March, lo meet all through trains on Hie main lines.

It is quite obvious that people cannot he made to travel sheep-like, all jammed up in one conveyance, especially travelled tourists, who have been accustomed to liberal choices of schedules. And if wo want our railways to pay we must of necessity encourage I hose people all we can. Therefore I sincerely hope that all the Waikato public bodies will lake' this vitally important nuttier in band and agitate at once for improved transports. The Waikato and the Thames Valleys constitute one of the world’s llncst tourist, “play-grounds." in fact, they tire without peer for pastoral beauties and recreative agencies in health and travel. Both Cambridge and Hamilton have it in them to be world-famous educational and artistic centres. What, we require to do Is to attract the people of the rigid type—the right people, who want to develop and to cultivate as they travel. And in order to cater for thorn we must provide adequate, and decent transport facilities and services to all important centres. —I am, etc., H. M. THOMSON. Cambridge, December 19.