The Daily News THURSDAY, AUGUST 6. THE MAIN TRUNK LINE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 194, 6 August 1908, Page 2

The Daily News THURSDAY, AUGUST 6. THE MAIN TRUNK LINE.

Hie closing of the. gap between the rail-heads of the North island Alain )lnink hue, promising early throu»'h railway 'communication between Vi°iImgtou and Auckland, marks an important epoch in the development and progress of the Dominion, liow important it is, few people, we believe, luliv recognise, and fewer still are npprceiative of the change it will vliect in tile hitherto retarded development of the great inland districts. Re that as it may, lew will fail to welcome the completion of a great public work, in its way one of the largest railway' undertakings ever earned out by any State Department in the Hemisphere. The fact that practically the whole of t'he works, involving enormous bridges ami viaducts, vicing in scale and engineering daring with the canyon °n\u\ gulch bridging dilliculties of tlie American Rockies, has been curried out bv tue Public Works Department and reputable local engineering linns, i, „ m . of which New Zealand might well be proud. When it is added that the whole of the rolling stock, tneludin" especially heavy locomotives, has been built locally at the Government and privately-owned workshops, it will be recognised what progress the Dominion has made of recent vears.

The only discordant note now evidenced regarding the railway is the hue and cry being raised by a section in Auckland regarding the time-table. As indicated by the Minister for Railways, the through trains will probably depart from and arrive at Wellington in the morning, arriving and leaving Aucklland at night. Naturally, while this is eminently satisfactory to Auckland's evening newspaper, it linds anything but favor from tiw morning coiitcmpur'ary, and accounts for the hostility raging round the suggested time-table. The matter is one that does not concern Taranaki to any considerable extent, provided that the through service between Wellington awf New Plymouth is maintained, connecting, if possible, with the Alain Trunk expresses at Marton. What does most intimately eoncorn Taranaki, and particularly" New Plymouth, is that the energy that has marked, the construction of the Alain Trunk line during the past two years be transferred to the Slratford-Ouga-riihe line. Equally with the interests of Now Plymouth in the completion of this important link is inland settlement concerned, in that three distributing ports, Wellington, Auckland, and New Plymouth, will then be brought within direct communication by rail, and of the. three New Plymouth offers tlie advantage in distaucc.

To the completion of this railway also we look to bring about the realisation of what was but a few years ago a Uivam—the making of New Plymouth the first and last port of fall for intercolonial boats to aud lrom Wellington. As development inland proceeds, expedition in the despatch of mails will become of more pressing concern, and the question of the quickest route will be one that will speedily obtrude itself. In this direction, New Plymouth has and must always have, by reason of its geographical position, an unassailable claim for preferment. Necessary to the urging of these claims, however, the harbor must be completed and the Stratford-Alain Trunk' connection accomplished. Beside this latter work, Taranaki's remaining public works' requirements are dwarfed in comparison, and no effort should be left unmaili' that might tend to further impress on the Government the absolute pre-enim-elice of the claims of this particular, line of railway.

Jt is to lie expected that in this year's construction programme, reasonable prominence will be given to the South Island Main Trunk line, which still requires a considerable expenditure to connect the Picton section with the advancing southern section. Tfic corollary of the completed Alain Trunk lines, n .State ferry service between Wellington and Picton, providing ultimately a through passenger and mail service from Auckland (perhaps Whangiirei) to the lilulV, wholly Stale-owned, should now be within reasonable (lis tance of realisation. New Zcalaml.'rs are reputedly a much-travelled people (speaking of their peregrinations through their own country), but we venture to believe that the added facilities for fait travelling which the through services, combined with popular rates, will afford, will tend io widen the mental horizons of New Zenlanders, and inculcate a knowledge and appreciation of their favored country, such as no other means could pos-ibly produce. While on this aspect of the question it is pertinent to company the conservative policies of the ship ping companies in popularising travelling, and the distinction is more particularly applicable to this coast. Only (his week refercnew has been made to the fact that the shipping companies report no exceptional business in view of the forthcoming visit of the American licet to Auckland. Is the reason not perfectly obvious! What have the companies done to induce Taranaki people to visit Auckland' Whereas, on the WoUingtoii-Lyttelton run, on file occa-ion of so exceptional an event, the fare would probably lie £1 return, pas sowers' rom here to Onehunga, a run considerable shorter, are asked to pay the usual fare of £2 7s (id. We trust that the competition of the Alain Trunk line will bring about an improvement, From the travelling public's ' point of view, in this direction.