A BISHOP ON TOUR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13455, 4 June 1907, Page 5

A BISHOP ON TOUR.

- ' IMPRESSIONS OF THE MAIN TRUNK LINE. [BY TELEGRAPH.— CORRESPONDENT.] , Wellington, Monday. Bishop Wallis' mission to the works on the Main Trunk line must be regarded as rather a novelty for a bishop. Leaving Taihape at half-past ' two o'clock on f the 21st! nit.. Bishop Wallis reached Waiouru before sunset, and roughed it there for the night. " It was raining hard during all my visit," he said, somewhat regretfully; to a Times' reporter, "so I did not get a single glimpse of any of the mountains, but I got good services for divine worship from the men in the billiardroom, at Waiouru, in the schoolroom at Ohakune next day, and at Raurimu. Part of the journey was done on the ballast train of the Public Works .Department. By this I travelled as far as Rangitawa, a place three miles from Ohakune, and thence we were driven first to Ohakune, afterwards to Raetihi, and last of all to Raurimu. My best services were at Raurimu. We had a social on the Saturday night, which was very largely attended, and on Sunday we had three services. The evening service was [crowded.- ! . ; "The things that struck me most during the trip were the big viaduct at Makatote, which I learned was expected to be finished about February next, and the splendid spiral at Raurimu, where there are four lines, one above another. Riding over the top line you can look down and see three other lines beneath you. The line is constructed in that spiral, zig-zag fashion, because the train has to mount 200 ft in a very small area. I know of only one other place like it—in Switzerland, on the St. Gothard line. I went through both tunnels near Raurimu. It is expected that the work there will be finished by the end of this year. From Raurimu I proceeded to Taumarunui, where I. made the launch trip down the Wanganui River. The part of the line that is expected [to take longest to finish is a strip of seven [miles between Horopito and Ohakune, which will be left to the last. .• ; " "The whole tone of -the men at Raurimu struck me as very good indeed. They have a readingroom, which is well filled on week days, and they use it for services on Sundays. The game of ' two-up' seems to exercise a fascination for a small minority. It is played quite openly, and I saw some of [.the games in progress, but the bulk of the men appear to possess very fine characters. The Rev. Mr. Rickerby; curate for the Rev. Mr. Clarkson, of Taihape, is in charge of the Anglican Church work in the district, and Mr. Weller assists him as a layman at Raurimu. I formed a lot of friendships. What I am trying to do is to get two tents, or marquees,'one for Waiouru, and the other for Horopito, in which the men may have games and reading and divine service. In each of these places the men have subscribed towards the cost, arid I hope to obtain a subsidy from the Government as further, assistance." . ' '• t The Bishop is enamoured of the country he traversed, and remarked that he hoped to 'have,cause to visit it again before long.