RAILWAY EXCURSION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22403, 27 April 1936, Page 13

RAILWAY EXCURSION

VISIT TO WAITOMO CAVES Organised by the Railway Department, a successful excursion was run from Auckland to Waitomo Caves yesterday. A special train of 10 carriages carried 320 people. The excursionists left Auckland at 8 a.m. and reached Hangatiki at 11.41 a.m. There they were transferred into a large fleet of motor-buses and taxis and the greater number were at Waitomo by noon. Parties of about 40 persons each were then formed, and, conducted by guides, visited the Waitomo. Aranui and Ruakuri caves in turn. The glow-worm grottoes of the Waitomo Cave were at their best and, to most visitors, proved the outstanding feature of. the trip. The remarkable stalactite and staligmite formations of the Aranui Cave also were impressive as were the weird and eerie vistas of Ruakuri. In addition, few people failed to appreciate the outstanding beauty of the native bush which clothes the approaches to the caves. The train left Hangatiki on the return journey at 5.35 p.m., and arrived at Auckland at 9.44 p.m. The excursion was excellently handled, both by the railway officials and by officers from the Government hostel at Waitomo.