TOUR OF RAILWAYS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 12, 29 January 1937, Page 6

TOUR OF RAILWAYS

-Preaa Assoeiation.)

t ■ Minister Drives Engine on Soqth Main Trunk

(By Telegraph-

! BLENHEIM^ Last Night. 1 1 In eontinuance of his policy oi familiarising himself tvith all the rail* jway lines in New Zealand, the Minister jof RaUways (Hon. D. G. Sullivan), who is making his first offidial visif to Marb jborough, travelled to-day from Pictonj fby special train to Wharanui, thej 'southern limit at present of this «ec-.' ition of the South Main Trunk. He wa& iaccompanied by Mr H. G. Mackley; (General Manager of Railways, Dry jMarsden, Director of the Department of jScientific an'd Industrial Research, and iMr E. P, Meachen, M.P. ' At Wharanui the Minister visited the jPublic Works eonstruction office, whera ihe met several officers of the Publia iWorks Department. He was interestect fto learn incidentally that the office was [built by Mr Meachen, M.P., in 1931 iwhen he was engaged in caxpenterxng work on the South Main Trunk line. ,On the return journey the locomotiva eontrols were taken over by the Minister himself, who drove the train all tbe way to Blenheim. After deputations the Minister and ,party left for Nelson. Tho Attorney-Geaeral (Hon. H. G. B. Mason), who was also visiting Blenheim, inspected the site where the erecItion of the new £22,000 courthouse has just begun. Before departing for Nelson the Minister in Marlborough territory to-morrow will be Hons. R.J ;Semple and P, C. Webb which, with the; visif by Hon. P. Fraser last week-end,' .makes five ministerial visits in the: .course of a week.