Evening Post WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 1912. THE MAIN TRUNK

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 151, 26 June 1912, Page 6

Evening Post WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 1912. THE MAIN TRUNK

There ira* a time — and that not so very long ago— when "The Main Trunk" was a, familiar heading in the editorial columns of The Post. The construction and completion of a railway connecting the two chief cities of the North Island was for nearly a generation, a question of national importance, well meriting frequent comment by organs of public opinion. Th« position was laid down correctly as early as 1884, when tho line was first projected, by Sir Julius Vogel, then Premier, who said: — "Wo adhero to the opinion, that the North Island Main Trunk Eaihvay is of supremo importance, and must be proceeded with as rapidly as possible. It ■will open to the colony a new world; it will be as though it was increasing by one-third our territory." It is not our intention here to do more than merely refer to the fact that the "supreme importance" of the work did not receive equal recognition from Sir Julius Vogel's successors, and that it was Hob "proceeded with as rapidly as possible." The whole story of the building of the Main Trunk Bailway is told in our Special Supplement today. Had. the construction of the lina been pushed forward with the "every possible expedition." urged by Sir Julius Vogel, with far-seeing intelligence, the line could have been completed ten years ago at least, instead of barely four, as time actually showed. But the inexcusable neglect which for ten long years this I work of national importance suffered at the hands of the political party in power, and the persistent agitation, supported by the press, which finally awakened the Government of the day to some sense of its duty to the country, and at length accelerated the completion of the railway, are now matters of ancient history, forgotten by a people of short memories. The Main Trunk Railway lias been a fact accomplished for nearly four years now, and as such is an accepted institution, part and parcel of our everyday life. It should, however, be remembered by the authorities that "something attempted, something done" has earned only a day's repose/ not ten years, and the time has certainly arrived for a decided improvement in the train service of the Main Trunk railway, which is now practically the same as it was when the line was first opened for regular traffic. On every hand there are complaints of the inadequacy and slowness of the express trains. One express each way a day is not to-day sufficient to accommodate the traffic of the line, or, if the number of carriages on the train is increased, it becomes too heavy for the locomotives to haul over the steep grades entailed by the contour of the country through which the railway passes. A case was made out in The Post some weeks ago for an expedited express with a double service each way, and recent events have borne out the essential validity of the arguments then advanced. The Minister of fiailways is fully seized of the necessity tor these improvements in the service, and preparations are already being made for quicker and more convenient trains to begin running early next spring. We are confident that a progressive policy on the Main Trunk will pay, and pay well. "It will open to the colony a new world; i£ will be as though it was increasing by one-third our territory." Sir Julius Vogel's prediction has been better fulfilled than was his behest to construct the railway with "every possible expedition." The Main Trunk has opened — if somewhat late in the day— a new world to the colony, which has Bince, of course, become the Dominion. And, if we take what the Main Trunk meant in area of land in 1884, when the Premier made his forecast, it has been as though it were increasing our territory by one-third. It has added since then, in one way or another, some 20,000 square miles of virgin soil to the area available for settle- j ment, and half of that within the last twenty years. Some of it ranks among the best land in the Dominion, and the whole tract, if not the Eldorado it was painted by isoine optimists in the earlier days, is yet nearly all fit for fairly close settlement. The railway has made posbible the utilisation of New Zealand's lust and greatest timber forest. It will make possible in the no distant future the utilisation of vast bods of coal, in the northern portion of the country through which it runs, as soon as suitable branch lines can be constructed. The whole country ia yet in the first etages of settlement. Though the pick of the land may be taken up, there are many large and useful areas in standing bush still to be subdivided for settlement. There is also a vast region of somewhat poorer country, which requires only the skill- of the scientific agriculturist to make it profitable. As a country still in the making, it want 6 country-makers, and offers ample opportunities for the man of enterprise, energy, and resource. But to facilitate the work of settlement— as it should be facilitated in these days, wht»n Now Zealand has to compete against larger countries with cheaper, land—better railway facilities are needed, and more roads and better roads. These are the prime necessities of all new countries, and a wise Government will do all it can to, ' provide them "with every possible expedition." It is chiefly to the opening Up of ouv virgin lands for settlement <hat we must Jook f»r inci'tam* in piimary [JMXilU'lti of llw noil, ami tt i'uli«i><jUellt fwpaiwion of our li'tuip und revenue. The problem of tho cost of living find* ile safest and surest solvent in the utilisation to the utmost of all ouv natural resources. As a. storehouse of thi?>-c the Main Trunk country is— to ukc a punula i" phrat-e iti Aiiii'i'U'it — New Zealand's JL.H4V Urs*ti Wttii,. IU ia.* uuuaiitf; |n^

which tho welfuro and prosperity of Wollington m deeply concerned, for progrees in settlement is followed by progress in city. The story of what— for lack of a better term— is called the Main Trunk country is recounted at length in our Special Supplement devoted to its description. With ite deen forests, its wide plains, its enowy peaks, ite great rivers, its towns, townships, and infant settlements, ite pioneers and pioneer life, its very bigness, it is the most interesting part of New Zealand to-day. For the tourist it has very many attractions in its volcanoes, included in the Tongariro National Park, and the traveller will find much to interest him in the scenes of settlement throughout the country. It is a part of New Zealand not so weil known to most people a* it deserves to be, for tho passenger by Main Trunk express goes through it in the darkness of night, and few people leave the beaten track. To all such the articles we publish to-day will appeal, as enlarging their knowledge of their own country.