HERE AND GONE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 286, 3 December 1938, Page 10

HERE AND GONE.

MINISTER'S VISIT. l LEAVES IN NEW RAIL CAR. BRIEF TOUR OF THE NORTH. The Minister of Railways, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, paid the briefest of visits to Auckland to-day. He stepped off the Limited express, which arrived at 10.30 this morning, an hour late, crossed to another platform at the Auckland railway station, and sped northwards in the silver, streamlined railcar Tokomaru. AN itli the general manager of railways. Mr. G. If. Macklev, and Departmental officers, who arrived from Wellington in the new railcar last night. Mr. Sullivan intended to travel as far as Tangpwahine by rail and go from there to Dargaville bv motor. He will receive a deputation on the question of the new Dargaville railway station site. Back To-morrow Night. Aft«r a visit to Whangarei, the Ministerial party will board the railcar again and arrive back in Auckland tomorrow afternoon. Mr. Sullivan will depart for Wellington by the Limited express to-morrow- night. • Gracefully yet solidly built, the Tokomaru is the second completed of six ■>2-passenger machines under construe-

r tion at the Hutt workshops. Her run 1 from Wellington yesterday was her first distance tost, which Mr. Mackley described to-day as satisfactory in every respect.

Leaving Wellington at eight o'clock yesterday morning, the Tokomaru reached Auckland at 7.40 in the evening. Exclusive of numerous stops made on the way, her running time was lOh 20m, with an average speed of nearlv 41 miles an hour. At times she touched 70 miles an hour. With the Aotea, already completed, the Tokomaru will maintain a new service between Wellington and New Plymouth. Two «f the remaining four cars of her type will be engaged on the run between Napier and Wairoa, but it has not been decided whore the other two will be used. Comfortable Journey. Mr. Mackley said that 10 more railcars were being imported from England and the first of these would arrive about next August. No decision had been made as to the distribution of these • machines. When the time arrived Auckland's claims for this type of transport would be considered by the Minister with other applications. Remarking that yesterday's run from Wellington was the most" comfortable journey he had ever made on that route, Mr. Mackley said that one really needed to ride in the Tokomaru at 60 miles an hour or so to appreciate her fully. People who watched the car glide away from the station this morning were impressed by her sleek lines, her comfortable-looking interior and the large windows which must make for additional enjoyment in travelling. The railear will leave for Hamilton on Monday afternoon with Mr. Mackley, who will continue his journey to Wellington on Tuesday.