UNIQUE SERVICE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 24 October 1928, Page 5

UNIQUE SERVICE.

DAILY paper on special train BUSINESSMEN’S TOUR. ' On Friday next the finst train in the world to Awn a daily newspaper will ; leave Auckland' for the South. The traiii is the. “Commerce Train,” for wliich the Railway Department lias been preparing for months, and winch will provide many novelties for its passengers. A bath-room car, a special shop for the sale of travellers’ requisites, tele- , phones, telegraph service, an information bureau, a secretary for the use of passengers—these are some of the things which have been planned lor the comfort of the travellers who are also getting a nine-day sight-seeing trip at a rail charge of £IQ each. Sixty leading businessmen of Auckland will be the passengers, and they are making ah extensive tour of the province in order to become acquainted with the industrial and commercial possibilities of the whole of Auckland. With them will he officers of the Railway, Agriculture, Public Works, and Industries and Commerce Departments and of the State Forest Service, while the General Manager of Railways (Mr H. H. Sterling) is expected to accompany'the party at least portion of the way. Much patient arrangement has been necesisary by the Department to make possible this novel tour. The train will consist of two Main Trunk firstclass day-cars, a specially fitted lun-cheon-car, each of 30 berths, a lounge car, a bath-room car, and the usual guard’s van. At each of the main stations visited the train will be connected with the telephone, morning and afternoon tea will be served fur the passengers, and arrangements have been made with the Post Office-for the delivery of mail matter simply addressed “domniqfce Train.’’ The daily newspaper, produced by the Publicity Department of the Railways, will he of four sheets "and illustrated. The programme of travel takes the train from Auckland on the evening of Friday next for Frahkton, thence to Hamilton, Rotorua, Taiiranga, Whakataiie, Morrinsville, the Waitomo Caves Te Awamutu, Huhtly, Kirikopuni, Okaihu, the most northern point of railway in New Zealand, Horeke, Kohukohu, Otiri, thence by launch to Russell, Wliangarei, and district and finally back to Auckland at 7.45 p.m. on- November 4. The total cost of the travelling done outside the train will not be more than £3 per head. Everywhere the travellers are being entertained, though they sleep on the train, and frequently they will be taken motor trips by local organisations. A full programme' of inspection of factories, works,' mines and farms, has been mapped out. 0 7,1 The Railway. Department confidently expects, that as a result of this tour there will be a demand for such trams all oyer the Dominion- The present enterprise has been arranged m order to allow prominent citizens associated with industry and commerce in town and country t<j learn more of their own land and so increase their interest in their country and its resources. It is believed that' the train will assist materially in demonstrating the possibilities and development of the country, will foster settlement anu promote understanding between town and country. -