Some Further Romance

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 5, 14 August 1931, Page 7

Some Further Romance

‘ N the second of his talks on "The Romance of the Main Trunk ‘Railway,’ Mr. Fergie again preferred to deal with hard’ cold facts rather than indulge in any flights of fancy to the world of romance. He explained some of the reasons why a through connection in the North Island took longer to

establish than a through: connection in the South Island. Firstly, there was the difficulty of overcoming the objections of the Maoris and, secondly. the nature of the country with its vast ravines and gorges, made railroad construction slow and: costly. Isn’t it queer how native races,.in the early stage of so-called civilisation, have | a rooted objection to railways? Canada had to face the active dislike of red Indians; South Africa has had to -contend with Zulu and other native opponents to progress; we had to contend with Maori interference. Wasn’t this rather a golden opportunity for Mr. Fergie to have held his invisible audience spellbound while he recounted some of the dangers faced, and some of the deeds of heroism performed, which must be chronicled to the credit of our. railway ‘pioneers ? , Instead of this Mr. Fergie. dealt at some length with the constitution and aims of the newly formulated Railway Board. We all wish the board every possible success; the difficulties the members have to face are, in a very different way, perhaps as great as those | faced by the pioneers in their work of construction. _Paint these difficulties and obstacles in a romantic light, and point the way by reminding the members of some of the Herculean tasks -accomplished by rail leaders in the 70’s, and who knows but that success in railway management may yet be attained? Mr. Fergie did permit himself one — flight of poetic fancy-and a pretty lurid flight it was-when he likened the red and green lights of the. signalmen as_ splashes of ghost’s blood and green eyes of little yellow gods respectively. He had only to complete the picture | describing the : rails as the ghost’s backbone and ... but then there would have been one terrific argument between Auckland and Wellington as, to which centre was entitled to call itself the "head" of the skeleton, so perhaps it was all for the best that he stopped where he did.