TOWN GOES TO COUNTRY

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 497, 29 October 1928, Page 1

TOWN GOES TO COUNTRY

TOUR OF COMMERCE TRAIN ARRIVAL AT TAURANGA (SUN'S Special Reporter.) COMMERCE TRAIN. TAURANGA, Sunday. The commerce train now touring the province with 60 Auckland business men arrived at Tauranga to-day. Yesterday morning the tourists visited the New Zealand Co-op. Dairy Company’s works at Frankton and Waharoa, and spent an interesting time at Ruakura State Farms. Returning to Hamilton, an official , luncheon was held at the Hamilton Hotel. The Mayor, Mr. J. R. Fow, presided and he was supported by Mr. H. T. Merritt, president of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, and Mr. F. H. Clapham, president of the Hamilton Chamber. The train then left for Rotorua, where'the night was spent. This morning the forestry operations at Putaruru were inspected and an interesting stay of two hours was made at Arapuni electric works. In "an address to the members of the train at Hamilton the general manager of the railways, Mr. H. H. Sterling, said the department realised fully its responsibility to the community as a service organisation and the running of the commerce train was an example of its attitude in that respect. “My own experience of private enterprise,” said Mr. Sterling, “is that gained while in charge of the world’s greatest dairy concern, and that has shown me the universal advantages to be gained by co-operation. In the railway service there is an increasing desire to achieve ,a maxim'uiu °t efficiency by this means. I feel sure that the lead given to the rest of New Zealand by Auckland Province in the running of a commerce train will quickly be followed by other provinces. If that is so then I can assure Mfe public that the department will be prepared to make equally thorough preparations for any tours of a similar kind which they may desire to make.”