Ministerial Visit to South Main Trunk

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 24, 29 January 1937, Page 7

Ministerial Visit to South Main Trunk

MR. SULLIVAN DRIVES THE TRAIN. Per Press Association. BLENHEIM, Last Night. In continuance of liis policy of familiarising himself with all the railway lines iu New Zealand, the Minister of Railways (Hon. D. G. Sullivan), who is making his first official visit to Marlborough, travelled to-day from Picton by special train to Wharanui, the southern limit at present of this section of the South Main Trunk. He was accompanied by Mr H. G. Mackley, General Manager of Railways, Dr. Marsden, Director of tho Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, and Mr E. P. Meachen, M.P. At Wharanui the Minister visited the Public Works construction office, where he met several officers of the Public Works Department. He was interested to learn incidentally that the office was built by Mr Meacbcu, M.P., iu 1931 when he was engaged in carpentering work on the South Main Trunk line. On the return journey the locomotive controls w r ero taken over by the Minister himself, who drove the train all the way to Blenheim.

After deputations the Minister and party left for Nelson. The Attorney-General (Hon. H. G. R. Mason), who was also visiting Blenheim, inspected the site where the erection of the new £22,000 courthouse has just begun. Before departing for Nelson the Minister in Marlborough territory to-morrow will be Hons. R. Semple and P. C. Webb which, with the

visit by Hon. P. Fraser last week-end, makes five ministerial visits in the course of a week.