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Hokitika Guardian, 26 August 1924, Page 2

Thk members of the New Zealand parliamentary party on the jaunt to South Africa, in the iniir-e uf their travels crossed the Australian continent by train. Mr Howard M.P., has written a.n interesting account of the journey in which he says: “Wo left Adelaide

at a i|iiartor to eleven in the forenoon of Tuesday, July 29, we reached the end of the first stage, Ternwio. at 3.40. There we changed trains to a

narrower gauge and the next stage was to Port Augusta, where we arrived at 10.5 p.m. Here we changed over to the trails-c.intiuental train. The Mains from Adelaide to Port Augusta are no bettor ami no worse than i! New Zealand trains, but the transcontinental .service heats anything any ol tile New Zealand delegates bad over ix] oriencoil before. The furnishing

and tile attendance certainly ar ■ good as those of any first class bote! in Sydney. On transferring for the

long ride, wy found the beds made up. Seemingly without any bother, the pas-

sengers were direct* l *! to their cabins. Then* w?s nolle of that rush and bustle exiK't'ieiH'od in the State trains. We ad turned in and woke in tho morning to find the train rushing along a lane cut through the scrub. Each passenger both first and second, was advised wfiat time to go to breakfast. C'onse*|uently the organisation worked smoothly and well. At loach and dinner time each passenger was given a card showing the time he was to go to the dining room. There was no bustle, and between each sitting the

table were relaid and looked as Deal and clean as if no one had used them be.

tore we sat down. Too much prais* cannot be given for the way this service is conducted. The train itself 1.-

a joy. Runs smooth and is provided with every comfort. There is a. smoking room with card tables, writing desks with paper, ink and pen provided, lounge room wfth a piano, and an observation ear. Mile after mile the train speeds on over an •pen plain. Having left the scrub country, we enter this Nullarlior Plain. Nullabor

means no trees. There are not only no trees, but the hluehusli and tlie salt-hush also disappear ami for four hundred and thirty miles the line stretches east and west. Tt is a curious si fill t. Right ahead as straight os a die and apparently as flat as the proverhinl panrake stretch these two rails, until they appear to join in the distance. Awnv lxUiitid us tlie .-.'line thing; and so the train pounds on until suddenly the country alters and we get into tho granite. We have just covered the longest piece of straight

railway line to bo found nnvwliero in tbe world. Ak a fact, the country lias a fall to the oust on thin j lain of nine inches to the mile, but, a* this is not noticeable to the traveller the plain seems to lx- dead level. No one knows Imiw far north this plain extends. There is little or no water and so no one has yet attempted to explore the plain in that directs on. At a place called Oldwu, 427 miles from Port Augusta. and at the end of the sand country and the beginning of the Nullarbor Plains, there is a water soak. This soak has been known to the blacks firom time immemorial. All the explorers of this country were told of this water supply and naturally made for it. - ’

Tiik narrative continues with n special reference to the more intimate history of the country. Mr Howard writes: •ft is a wonderful ctißiifrry across the 10.51 miles of this trans-Australian railway route. There are only al>mit three [daces whole water can he found and the principal pkico is Olden. There is an historical place where thu blacks lor hundreds of miles have always gathered at certain rimes for their religious ceremonies. Leaving the plains, we suddenly plunge into the malice country. .Mailoo, myall, niulga. *ak and other timber now come into view. and lift- train founds on and on along this lane cut through the hush. Again we go to bed and next day wv arrive at that wondrous country. Kalgonrlfe. "1 ho .Mayor, town clerk and same ot the

councillors met us and wo wore given a civic rcU'ltion. Wo were then taken to what the .Mayor described as the richest mile of country on God's earth. One hundred million pounds worth ol gold, said his Worship, had boon won flo-ni that mile, a ton of gold per moiltli for many months. Me were taken to tile I'el severance Mine, and heard what sounded like fairy stories. Sec this tree with thu railings around itr Well, that's the »pofc where Pat Hannan picked up the lirst hit. of gold whilst, looking for his horse. Hannan •Street, Kalgoorlie, is a wide business street, with electric ears and all up-to-date conveniences. ‘See that public garden ?' said his Worship the Mayor. •That's made pos-dhle by a New Zealand engineer who brought the water .Till miles intw the desert. Twenty years ago ibis spot was barren as the Nullarboo Plains. To-day there is a nourishing moduli* city, hut if the gold gives out she will go back to the wilderness.’ ('oolgardie is a desrtted city. The iron of the roofs, thu doors mid all that would pay to l-rnns]xirt, have gone. From a population ol .'ill,ooo it has new pitiably not mote than 200. Kalgoorlie anil Moulder City will billow ('oolgardie if the gold disappears. We saw the process ol winning «r extracting the gold from the telluiidc ore. Crushed to a powder, calcined to get rid of tlie sulphur, through the cyanide tanks then to the zinc boxes. Ihailly to the retorts, and moulded into nuggets or bars of gold. Four hours in Kalgoorlie. thuHi by train on to Perth. Another night's sleep or sleeplessness on the train, hc'-niise the Stair 1 train was all that the Federal train service was not. M'e’ll leave it at that.. The next morning at 10 we arrived at Perth, having done a train journey o| -J7(il miles and slept live nights in railway carriages. It was a wonderful trip over a wondeflnl country. To-day tve were received hy the Labour Cabinet in the Cabinet room. We were given a hearty welcome, ami later, the same day hy tlie Mayor. Since we have struck Australia we have received the utmost, kindness from everyone. M’e lire exceedingly pleased with our journey so Inr, and on .Monday we join the F.uripidos tor South-Africa.''