NORTHERN MAIN TRUNK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18890, 12 December 1924, Page 12

NORTHERN MAIN TRUNK

. ♦- ■ THROtfCH EXPRESS SERVICE. BENEFIT TO THE FAR NORTH. REDUCED FREIGHT RATES. BUSINESS AGENTS' ACTIVITY. •"• The inauguration of a direct railway ser'vice from Auckland to-the two termini of (he Far North, Opua and Okaihau, marks a new era in the history of the peninsula. It brings the. oldest settlements of New Zealand into closer touch with the capi- * . till of the province. It is now possible on three days of tho week, and during the holidays- it will be possible on each day of the week, for people to leave the city at 8.25 a.m. and have dinner in Russell or Kaikohe or proceed to the Hokianga centres by motor. • Although the new services reduce the time occupied on the journey to Whangarei the chief benefit is being realised on the section north of that town. Never before have there been on this section other than mixed trains which, in consequence '61 tie shunting necessary at wayside - ' stations, took about five hours, and often j exceeded the schedule time, to reach the C Of'as' great, or perhaps greater, importance to the Far North is the reduction in freight that has been brought about by the introduction of through rates upon the ordinary classification of goods. Untii the new order began at the beginning of this week, all goods on the northern section came under class A, and when sent from the city bv train had to pay a special rate for conveyance over the Public Worps portion of the line between Huarau and . Oakleigh. To-day freight goes Che whole wav according to the ordinary .classifications and passengers also book utraight, through, the only people required to pay extra for the Public Works section being tho-holders of season tickets.

A Progressive Development.

Tho first through expresses did not excite, -particular interest. Certainly the sight of the large A.B. engines aroused a little interest in Whangarei and a mild interest, "mainly of a professional character, v.a.3 evinced by Public Works men along the new section but the occasion was robbed of " pomp and circumstance " by " the fact that for a year or more trains between Whangarei and Auckland have bees traversing the Public Works section. Daring that time there has been no changing into works trains. To those who are - responsible for tho stability of the Hua- ' rau' section- with its treacherous country and four tunnels, the passing of the first heavy engines was a matter of very great moment bat because lighter trains already Have been in regular use over the stretch, the public accepts the new development as a matter of couise.

■The/public urdt»r-eStimates the significance of the occasion, the real point of which is that a time-table has been ar- ' ranged''for the that " fits in " with "the Main Truns schedule, and reduces travelling time with the incidental "but far-reaching advantage of reduced freights. ** ; The express train's are not particularly fast—-there certainly is no . suggestion of the "limited " about them, "They stop frequently and the journey to Opua is a good deiil more exhausting than that to Rotorua. Tlu tto Okaihau is rather more taxing for it is necessary to change at Otiria Junction into a typical branch-line train, the carriages of which are not even waterproof, to cover the remaining 25miles. However, northern settlers are.'too delighted about the improvement that has 'taken place to find anv T ault with wV»t has been provided. Nearly two hours have been cut off the 53- miles, rti'om Whangarei to Opua. The journey, of 67 miles from Whangarei to Ckaihau has been reduced by nearly an hour and a half. This saving of time is so substantial. th*t it would bo flying in the face of Providence to..suggest that the speed might be-made still faster. ..» . Gain on Northern Section. net result of the change on the section from Whangarei-northwards is that there are now IS trains a week instead of 12,. the expresses being additions to the existing schedule. The only change .in the northern schedule is that there is -to be r?o .immediate connection with the boat in and from Auckland. Travellers going north to Whangarei by boat on the days when the. express tines not run. will n«t be able tD leave Whangarei until- the • afternoon and those coming to Auckland by boat will have to spend the afternoon -in Whangarei. There appears to be a general desire throughout the north to support the Railway Department. It is realised that the more traffic goes on to the railway the ■stronger argument there will be for daily ".express trains in normal times. Thu introduction of " through " rates has already given a great 'fillip to business. Considerable savings are being gained even over the former railway rate. A case in point was. cited at Kaikohe. The freight on five cwt. of general merchandise by rail last week was £1 17s 4d. To-day it is £1 3s Bd. The following comparisons are made in regard to transhipped goods, the former rate and the present through rate being given in that order: 18cwt. of flour, £1 14s 3d, 13s 7d; one ton of manure, £1 8s 5d 19s 2d; .wool per bale, 14s 3d; 9s. The difference in many ether directions is in like proportion. Timber can now t. "bo railed direct to Auckland at a rate 3s per 100 ft. cheaper. The difference 6n stock led to a sale of 500 sheep to the . Waikato it few days ago. The week before the purchaser refused to buy on" account of Jihe freight. As. soon as the ; through rate was instituted he reopened the deal and bought the sheep. . Large Amount of Business Secured. It is typical of the new spirit in the Railway Department that a business agent went to.the North at the inauguration of the new service to advise customers of the greater facilities and benefits offered, and among the items of business secured for the railway are 8,000,000 ft. of timber, this quantity being irrespective of the timber that is shipped from Opua, 500 tons of boneless beef, hides, pelts and tallow, 4000 bales of wool and a consid crable- quantity of butter. It is possible, however, that the district? of the North will gain more from the through transit of goods they purchase. Great importance is laid upon the reduction in the freight on manures. We will be able to top-dress at £1 an acre less," said a farmer, "and the effect will, be that far more top-dressing Will be done and greater production lake place in consequence. After all grass is tho foundation of farming in the North. Top-dress and you get more and better grass and you carrv more and better stock."

Relief from Isolation. The progressive loading policy that has been in operation in the northern counties for tho last few years has contributed to the benefits now received from the railway. Connecting motor sen-ices are being brought into existence and farmers to-day are using the railway who a few years ago were suffering Very real isolation in the bush The zone affected by the railway may be pictured readily by a list of the waterways now passed on the day's journey to Auckland. These are the Bay of Islands, or tho Hokianga, Whangarei Harbour and the Kaipara Harbour at two points. It is a somewhat striking fact that in the space of 12 hours a traveller may pass over an arm of the Hokianga on his way to the railhead, skirt the . Whangarei Harbour on the other coast, touch the upper waters of the Kaip3ra on the West Coast and get off the tram within, a few yards of the Waitemata seawall.. Twice he see the Tasman - a - o waters ahd tw ice tho waters of the Pacific. ■;■:,- - ■ - mea *£™ , Se ™ icc the Korth sees * • TW<« developing its tourist resorts. wWriftS? doubt .&*M<h*> Bay of Islands wm enjoy a. record bouoo. p..,"