S.I. MAIN TRUNK

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 79, 1 October 1945, Page 4

S.I. MAIN TRUNK

LAST SPIKE DRIVEN

END OF A LONG WAIT

P.A. CHRIST/CHURCH, Sept. 30. The ceremony of driving the last spike in the South Island main trunk railway was performed at Kaikoura on Saturday by the Minister of RailWays (Mr. Semple), in the presence of a big crowd. The Minister, with Mr. Meachen, M.P. for Marlborough, travelled from Picton by rail-car.

Before driving the spike, Mr. Semple said the people of Marlborough and Kaikoura had waited 40 years for the completion of the work. Like other great works commenced, the trunk line had had to fight the opposition of the pessimists—the apostles of gloom who averred that the line would never pay. Such sentiments did not help in the development of New Zealand. The present line, which was expected to be completed before the Christmas holidays, would open up huge stretches of country and would help to get stock to the markets without the risks of a long and dangerous journey by road. ;•..•

This* was the fourth line that had been stopped by previous Governments, and he had had the pleasure of driving the last spike in three lines and hoped to see the fourth completed. With the opening of the line Marlborough could look forward to a bright future. The work had been completed in the face of many difficulties. Slips had been expected but not to the extent that heavy rains and snow and the worst winter for 40 years had brought about. It was no easy engineering task to put tunnels through dangerous mountainous country, and its completion was a tribute to the ability of the engineers and the men who had given loyal service.

Mr. Semple drove the spike and afterwards some of the men who had done the work manned an engine and drove it over the link that till Saturday had been missing in the main trunk line.

Mr. Meachen said that in the face of almost insurmountable difficulties a great work had been accomplished. Even when the calls on the country for war had made a heavy drain on man-power, the Minister had kept the work moving, sometimes with only a skeleton staff. He congratulated the people on the completion of the work at a time when labour problems had presented many difficulties.