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Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 149, 23 March 1928, Page 15

Work on the eastern end of the Strat-ford-Main Trunk line has now reached two and a hal f miles beyond Uhuru township (reports the “Taranaki Herald”). One hundred and fifty men are employed on the job, and two steam shovels are doing excellent work. One tunnel is being cut, and everything is in readiness for starting a second. W hen these are finished there will be two others to put through before entering the Tokirima Valley. The rate of progress generally, depends on what grants are forthcoming, and the number of men employed. The permanent line works are not sufficiently advanced to enable more men to be employed with advantage at the moment, but the position will soon be improved, and it is hoped within a few months a much larger number of hands will be on the job. The finest fabrics are waterproofed by the Chinese by immersing them in a mixture of Joz. of white wax and one pint of spirits of turpentine. The articles are hung in the open air to dry. The largest map in the world is in San Francisco. It cost ,£20.000, and took eighteen months to complete. It is 200 yards long ami ’> yards wide, and shows the whole of California in relief. _ An incident which had its amusing aspect but witch was undoubtedly unpleasant for the principal actors, occurred at the Bluff railway station the other morning (says an exchange). The train from Invercargill which connects with the sailing of the Southland has an extra carriage for additional passengers, this car being adjacent to the engine. The carriage is disconnected for’ the train’s return journey, but on the morning in question it was left in position at the end of the town train, although it had been unhooked. Several passengers who always attempt to gain the last carriage to escape the objectionable noise and smoke from the locomotive, entered this compartment and waited patiently for the start. Just before the start of the train a shunting engine drew this disconnected car off in a southerly direction with its wondering complement of passengers, and proceeded quite an appreciable distance before the engine-driver realised that something was amiss, attracted no doubt by the anxious countenances peering out of windows. The mistake was duly rectified, and the travellers were transferred to a connected car and they proceeded to town congratulating themselves on their luckv escape trom ■missing the train altogether.