MAIN TRUNK LINE TO AUCKLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 2810, 22 January 1908, Page 97

MAIN TRUNK LINE TO AUCKLAND.

DIFFICULTIES OF TRAVELLING. PROGRESS OF THE WORK. (From Otjb Own Cohbespokdewt.) CHRISTCHURCH, January 14. Mr George G. Stead, who returned from \ his recent visit to Auckland by way of the Main Trunk line, has given -a Press representative some of his impressions of the trip. From what he gathered in Auckland, & common impression existed that the land between Tg Kurd and Taumarunui was very suitable for settlement, and that a larg<e area of it was high-class, ploughable land. Two of Mr Stead's companions were practical farmers, and they were of opinion after making the journey that no highi class land could be seen from the railway j anywhere between the two points named. Of course, there might be good land some distance away on -either side of the line, but certainly the land in the immediate vicinity of the railway was not very promising. Mr Stead owned land in the Auckland \ province 30 years ago, and has had some 1 considerable experience of it. He feels 1 satisfied that unless there .is a better class ;■ of land at some distance from ( the railway • . line there is nothing very promising in the neighbourhood of Taumarunui. On arrival • at that settlement, despite the fact that the party had telegraphed for rooms two da/ys previously, only a shakedown was available for one, while two small rooms wero available for the others. The landlady stated that she had to put up 140 I gueste for the night, whilst, so far as could be seen, there was not decent sleeping ' accommodation for half that number. Taumarunui completes the -tine from Auck1 land south at present under the control 1 of the Railway Department. Despite the fact that the Tourist Department advertises that passengers can be carried from Auckland to Wellington by first-class railway carriages and coaches for a stated sum of money, yet, as a matter of fact, the Public Works Department put on only Becond class carriages froni Taumarunui to Maka-tote. It was not a question^ that there was insufficient room in first-class carriages, but only very indifferent second class carriages > wero available on the day Mr Stead travelled, for which first class fares were charged. From Makatote to Obakune the party were transferred to Cobb and Ob.'s coaches, but the traffic was so great that 19 or 20 .passengers had to be stowed away in a coach built for 12. At Ohakuoe another transfer was made to .the railway, which is also run by the Public Works Department. For this part of the journey so-called first class carriages were provided, but they v^ere unkempt, dirty, and unoonafortable to a degree. "We were told," said Mr Stead, "that the Public Works Deparnnent did not want to carry passengers, but if that is so why should tb.e Tourist Department advertise and encourage tourists to travel from Auckland to Wellington by the Main Trunk route?" The construction of the Makatote viaduct is proceeding rapidly, and when completed it will be a vei*p high-class piece of engineering. On the ground Mr Stead met Mr A. Anderson, who said that t^ie viaduct would be completed and fit for use in lees - than six months. Up to and after passine '< O-batun©, Mr Stead's party were of opinion that the bulk of the land was not too promising. South of Waiouru, however, it commenced to improve, and apparently to the wes^, of that stopping place towards New Plymouth and Wanganui there is land of excellent quality. At Metaroa the I travellers were transferred to a short section of the railway under the control of the Railway Department, where everything was fairly comfortable. A stop for the j night was made at Taihape. There wa? some very promising land in the neighbourhood of Taihape, and the settlers between there and Marton all appeared to be prosperous. At present, passengers have to leave Taihape -at 6 o'clock in the morning, and have no chance of obtaining reasonable ; refreshments until they reach Palmerston North at 11.40 am. Mr Stead mentioned that he had heard \it stated lately that "Cold tea" was obtainable without difficulty in the prohibition districts of the King Country. Out of | curiosity, he made inquiries from time to time, and, so far as he could learn, nothing beyond a cup of hot tea or "hop beer" was obtainable at any of the refreshment houses. There might he secret stores that are available for certain known friend 6of the accommodation houseskeeper3, but Mr Stead is oonfident that intoxicants are not readily obtainable by the travelling public. - " The trip," Mr Stead concluded, is an interesting one, and if it were made more comfortable no doubt many people would travel that way to Auckland. At present, there is no effort to make it a pleasant -journey." IS THE SPEED- DANGEROUS? (Fbom Otjb. Own Cob'eesponihot.) WELLINGTON, January 15. Mr Wilford, *M.P. for Hutt, has returned from Auckland, via the Main Trunk ' route. To a Post reporter he said: — " I mast enter an emphatic protest against the dangerous rate of speed at which the train travels. The track is a ' most dangerous one. It is laid with 'an entire absence of what are known Bts transition curves oh the descent 'of the line to Taumarunui. To show the class of country, let me tell you that on one "occasion nine acres of land slipped into the river, and yet the train travels down that slope at the rate of 40 miles an hour. The curves are awkward, and I do not exaggerate wiien I say that it was impossible, with "the tremendous' jerks made at corners, for anyone to retain his foothold on the carriage platforms. Passengers *re bu»\ped *\x>u± £ro»» eidn to. side. Lug-

t gage is pitched about in the guard's vatJ in an alarming fashion. I believe repre« sentations have .been made to the Governmen by. men who should know againci. this rate of speed upon this- portion of the . line. One highly q\ialified man whom I questioned on the subject admitted to me that the construction of this " portion of line, unless altered, would one day be responsible "for a- very serious accident. , I intend to bring this matter before Parliament and try to get that engine-driver's speed considerably reduced On -this .portion of the line. I <lo not blame him, for "he is no doubt acting on ■ instructions. In anj- case, I cannot imagines, man, exceot under -orders, wilfully taking his life his hands.." -„ - REPLY TO MR WILFORD. (FSOSI OUS Own COBBISPONDENT.) WELLINGTON, January 16. A complaint of the speed of 1 rains upon curves on the Main Trunk line a few miles to the north of Taumarunui was made by Mr T. M. Wilford, M.P., yesterday to a representative of the Evening- Post.Mr^Wilford's idea was that the speed in the circumstances was excessive, not to say dangerous. ' 'This is nok- the' view- of the R-ailway Department. The matter was r-e-f erred -to an official to-day, and his;expJaaation was that' the instructions to 'drivers as to speed were based iipon the limits of safety. So far as was known, the drivers carried out thqse instructions. • Possibly a driver might be late, and then he would attempt to put on extra «team -to make up, but the time-tables were hased upon tfio limits of safety, and the speeds maintained were well within it. . A Government engineer who has travelled iruch over the curves' referred to by Mr Wilford said he had passed along the line in question in a special going at twice lho time-table speed, and no discomfort waa felt by the passengers, and no fears were expressed at that time. The best proof of the safety of the iine tinder -the usual rates of speed was that trains had been miming* on the line for years, and no acciden* had yet occrred. MR WILFORD IN REPLY. (Faou Oint • Own Cobrespokdent.) WELLINGTON, January 17. Replying to Mr M'lntosh's statement pa his remarks *bout the Main Trunk railway, line, Mr Wilford said : "Mr M'lntosh.' says the line is in firet-classj'or<3ervaad i« food for a speed: pp 50 miles per, hour." n the same paragraph Tie admits that the speed limit is 30 miles per hour. He also says thai; the -sleepers are- in . good order. I donft deny that. I contend that the rails have spread at the corners; Mr M'lntosh, while admitting -that tliß j speed is 30 miles per hour, admits* also that ifc is sometimes exceeded. - That is any contention. He says : " There is no danger; | in travelling 50 miles per hour except on curves." It is tho curves I complained oi.\ He <also says, "Mo3t of the curves ara transition curves." From information; gathered there from the men who * made the line L say. there _axe no transition curves', 1 though they are putting them in fromTaumarunui Taihape-wards. Mr M'lntosh' says he never heard of nine acres of land slipping into the river. He has a report. l in iis office v from one of his own officers'' notifying him of the fact, and it was afW these officers '.had consulted with him^ thatf the loopline over which I travelled' was' put in. My oomplaint was general and! not particular. In regard to. the lack pf( smooth running of the oars, I" would likof. to say this^ in conclusion : If Mr M'lnfosli instead of. .sitting in his office will come down and .look At the line for himself and' consult' his officers he will ihav:e a different story to tell. „