AUCKLAND TO WELLINGTON BY RAIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 9 December 1907, Page 2

AUCKLAND TO WELLINGTON BY RAIL.

STATEMENT BY THIS PREMIER. A TWENTY 11.01'RS' KIN. Some interesting details us to the Auckland-Wellington railway were furnished in an interview by the Premier ai Auckland the other day. Sir Joseph Ward slated that there is every reason to hope that the through trsillic between Wellington and Auckland will be possible before the end of next year. ".Special carriages are being built," he said, "for the express service between Auckland and Wellington, and these will be a foot wider than those running at the present time, which will provide much more and greatly improved accommodation for the passengers, and will enable sleeping compartments to be provided in some cars. So that the passengers may have comfortable sleeping berths, these cars are being designed upon the, same principle as those running between Adelaide and Melbourne, and those who have had experience of travelling in Australia will agree with me that these are far and away the best sleeping-cars that are running. It is intended that the journey between Auckland and Wellington will occupy twenty hours. This is not running at a speed which will be uncomfortable, for the whole distance is 420 miles, which, including stoppages, will be run in the twenty hours. We propose to leave Auckland at mid-day and arrive in Wellington at S a.m. the next morning, the return trip being similarly made at precisely the same times. Special engines are being built to be ready for the traffic. Prom Auckland to Taumaranui the trains will be worked by A class engines, four-cylinder balance compounds, which are being built at Price Bros.', Thames. Prom Taumaranui to Taihape they will be worked by X class engine*, also four-cylinder balance compounds! now being built at the Addington workshops. Prom Taihape to Wellington Class A engines will be employed. The X Class engines are the heaviest and most powerful it is possible to use on the -New Zealand railways, and weHi 00 tons. These engines will be used for the most dillicult portion of the line. The A Class weigh Jo tons."

"It may be of interest for the public to know," continued Sir Joseph, "that the curves upon the line between Feilding and llawcra are occasionally one in live, while on this line the worst curves are one in seven and a-half. Koine of the grades between tfeilding and Hawcra are one in thirty-throe. There is not lung on this line under one in fifty, the added comfort due to the skill and tare exercised by the Public Works enameers being very great. These figures show the advance in constructional engineering since the Wellington-New i'lyimmin line was constructed. The engineers have shown much commendable lar-sighteduess in the matter. An indication of the fares will be of interest. The iirst-class from Auckland to Wellington will be £1 life id, and second-class JEI Is 2d, the return fares hemg exactly double these. The excursion rates will be, lirst-class return, £3 lis, instead of £3 18s 2d, and secondelas/5 .CI los (id, instead of £2 2s 4d NJ 1 think f am right in saying that when the line is -through, it will very greatly increase travel, not only between the torminiii, but with the various points on the line, and 1 am look'l'S forward, as ar<. all concerned, to I lie opening of the .Main Trunk line, which wil, fam sure, be the , mt pavable link ui the great railway system'of Aew Zealand. The extra width of the cars will greatly conduce to the corntort and convenience of passengers, more especially in the dining-cars, the* ncw care, now under construction, boine- tt great improvement on those at present >H use. j„ n H! carnages scills are being made for the public who travel, but do not want to go in for the luxury ol a sleeping berth, for which, ot course, an added fee will be charged J lie seats in the ordinary carriages will !«' adjustable, so that passengers may recline comfortably when th?y desire to sleep. The General Manager of Bailways and his staff have bee,, hard at work making arrangements for the icry extensive services which will follow 1.'.0 completion of the line''