FARMER’S TRAIN

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 634, 10 April 1929, Page 11

FARMER’S TRAIN

TWO FROM SOUTH ISLAND RAILWAYS BIG VENTURE This winter 600 farmers from the South Island will visit Auckland, the Waikato and other centres of interest. It is the biggest excursion yet organised by the Railway Department, and is being undertaken in conjunction with the Farmers’ Unions in the South. The first contingent of farmers from Canterbury and Westland will leave their homes on Tuesday, May 28, and will take the ferry steamer to Wellington that night. The tour will end when the ferry steamer leaves Wellington on the return journey on June 10. The second contingent will consist of Otago and Southland farmers and will leave Invercargill at 7 a.m. on June 14. It will end early in July. Special and most comprehensive arrangements have been made by the Railway Department and the trip will cost each person travelling about £ls. This will include rail and accommodation charges. FARMERS’ WIVES, TOO Bookings in the South Island are already brisk, and it is estimated that there will be no difficulty in getting the required number. Many of the farmers’ wives have signified their intention of making the trip. Each excursion is limited to 300 persons. The Canterbury and Westland men will leave Wellington by special train on May 29 and will reach Hamilton that night. Two days will be spent in the Waikato, visiting the Waikato Winter Show, butter factories and the Ruakura State Farm. The visitors will be entertained by the Waikato Farmers’ Union and the executive of the Waikato Winter Show. On June 1 the party will leave for Rotorua, but a break will be made to enable the Southerners to visit Arapuni. June 2 will be spent at Rotorua, sight-seeing, and on June 3 the visitors will arrive in Auckland, where two days will be spent in making trips round the city and suburbs. Arrangements for the entertainment of the excursionists will be undertaken by the Auckland branch of the Farmers’ Union in co-operation with the Railway Department. On June 6 the special train will leave for Palmerston North, where the Massey College will be visited and entertainment provided. The following two days will be spent in Wellington, and on June 10 the Southerners will take the ferry back to Lyttelton. COMPREHENSIVE TOUR The trip for the Otago and Southland farmers is even more comprehensive. Their special train will leave Wellington for Wanganui on June 15, where a day will be spent. Hawera will be reached the following day and then back to Palmerston North on June 20 for the Winter Show there. The visitors will reach Auckland at 0 p.m. on June 21, and will leave the following day for Whangarei, and pro-' bably-Opua the day after. Auckland will be reached on the return trip on June 24 and on June 26 the Southerners will arrive at Rotorua for a three days’ rest. A day will be spent in Hamilton on the way back to Wellington, which will be reached on June 29. Practically all the arrangements for the trips have been completed. Comfort and convenience will be the keynote of the trains, and the travellers will be entertained by several innovations.

To-day, Mr. A. W. Wellsted, business agent for the railways at Auckland, left for Palmertson North to meet representatives from the South, who will finalise all arrangements.