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HILLS RAIL WA Y TIME- TABLE.
TO THE EDITOB.
Sir — It seems inconceivable, but neverthe
less I am credibly iniormed it is true, tbat
what can only be termed an outrageously
eelfish proposal has been made, and is
urged upon the Railway Commissioners by
tbe residents between Aldgate and Adelaide,
to alter tbe running of tbe southern morning
mail train from 7-30 to 9.30. When tbe
change, . inaugurated on November 1, was
made from 6.50 to 7-30 a.m. no objection
was 'raised at this end, although some
inconvenience arises to business men through
tbe later arrival of mails, as this is to
some extent counterbalanced by the comfort
afforded bv a more convenient hour of de
parture, especially during the winter months.
It is always objectionable to alter the time of
running mail trains, and as the experience of
the last 10 years bad proved tbe old hours to be
eminently suitable, even the small change now
made is against the interests of the residents
in these parts, feeling tbat there might be
departmental reasons for making the slight
alteration no voice was raised against it.
When, however, it .comes to our knowledge
tbat with the most delightful disregard tor
other people's convenience and interests a
number of residents on the fircst section of
the line, chiefly summer visitors, whose mails
and newspapers would still be carried to
them as of old by tbe Mount Gambier train,
are seriously urging the Commissioners to post
pone the departure of tbe present 7.30 a.m.
train for two hours, one is prompted to 03k
' Can impudence further go?' Under the pre
sent time-table all the s nations from Adelaide to
Aldgate, but no furcber, are served by the
10.20 a.m. train ; and can it be seriously con
tended that an additional train at 9.30 is
required to accommodate the traffic offer
ing ? If not, why is the request not
made to alter tbe running of the
10.20 train to 9 30, rather than interfere
with the business and convenience of the whole
community this side of Aldgate? Are the
interests of tne pioneer districts of tbe
colony to be made subservient to tbe
caprice of tbe perhaps influential, but cer
tainly inconsiderate and most selfish dwellers
in the new settlement which the railway has
created in the Mount Lofty Ranges 1 And is
is to be tolerated tbat oar mails should
be delayed for two hours, business ham
pered, and time lost for the pur
pose of serving some ulterior but undisclosed
motive of the advocates for the proposed
change? It has, I trust, only to be pointed
out that tbe southern seaside towns would be
deprived of a return mail, and Strathaibyn.
Mount Barker, and Hanndorf, all old and
importantbusi ness places, would be relegated to
a worse position as regards postal facilities than
they enjoyed in the early coaching days in
order to induce the ComtnieBioners to igno
mmiously reject this selfish and sinister pro
posal. — I am, &c,
LOUIS VON DOUSSA.
Mount Barker, November 18, 1S93. -
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