THE RAIL CAR

Wairarapa Daily Times, 8 June 1936, Page 5

THE RAIL CAR

■TRIP THROUGH WAIRARAPA. GREAT INTEREST TAKEN. SPEECH BY PRIME MINISTER. There ■were somewhere about 1500 to 2000 people present at Masterton railway station yesterday afternoon to see the railcar “Maaliunui” on a trial run through the Wairarapa, on which line the first railcar services are to be instituted. The Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, was greeted by prolonged cheering as he appeared at the door of the car. Those present were addressed by Mr J. Robertson, M.P. for Masterton, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Railways (Hon. D. Sullivan), the. General Manager of Railways (Mr G. H. Maeltiey). The car was originally to have travelled up the Wairarapa line to Woodville and returned the same way, arriving at Masterton at 11.5 a.m. on the upward journey and returning at 3 p.m. This -itinerary was only altered late yesterday and many people were at the station yesterday morning. Owing to calls on the Prime Minister and other members of ■ the party to make speeches en route, the car was delayed and instead of arriving at 3 p.m. did not pull in to Masterton station until 4 p.m. A notice board in chalk was placed on the station stating that the car would arrive at 3 p.m. but this had evidently been altered by a small boy to 5 p.m., otherwise there would have been even more people at the Masterton Station. Mr Mackley expressed his regret at the late arrival of the car at Masterton. When the schedule was made out, Mr Mackley added, he had no idea that the public would turn out in the numbers they did. . . Others who made the trip in the car from Wellington were Hon. R. G. Mason, Hon. W. E. Parry, Hon. F. Jones, Hon. W. E. Barnard, Speaker of the House, Hon. F. Langstone, Minister for Lands, Hon. Lee Martin, Mr J. Robertson, M.P. for Masterton, Mr B. Roberts, M.P. for Wairarapa, and also Mr and Mrs French, Mrs W. E. Barnard, Mrs F. Langstone, Mrs Lee Martin, Mrs Walter Nash, and. Mrs B. Roberts, Mr G. H. Mackley and other officials and engineers of the Railway Department. •;t r "'‘-dInvitations were issued to ‘Mayors

and representatives of the Press of the towns throughout the Wairarapa to ride . in the railcar and they were picked up by one of the Railway Department’s road service buses and conveyed to Woodville, there, after being entertained at lunch at the Woodville railway station, joining the railcar for its journey down the Wairarapa line. Those who made the trip were Mr J. D. Wilson, Mayor of Pahiatua; Mr ,W V J. Simpson,', Mayor of Eketalinna; Mr W. Fisher, Mayor of Carterton; Mr J. W. Card, Mayor of Featlierston; Mr W. B. Martin, Mayor of Martinborough. Mr G. G. Stewart, Publicity. Manager of the Railways Department, stated that invitations for this trip on the railcar had to be restricted, as the, car would only seat 49 but that further invitations would be issued at a later date when other trial runs are arranged. The car made the trip from Wcl-

lington to Palmerston North in 2 hours 14 minutes, which is 20 minutes less

than the Limited’s time, arriving at Woodvillo at 12.40 pan. where it was greeted by a large crowd. Mr H. P. Horne, Mayor of Woodville, welcomed the Prime Minister and other members of the Cabinet. LARGE CROWDS EN ROUTE. During the whole of the trip to Masterton people were out at. every siding, level crossing and station to see the car arrive and the Prime Minister and his party were enthusiastically cheered. Stops were made at Pahiatua and Eketahuna, where the railcar and its passengers were greeted by large numbers. At each of these stops the Prime Minister, the Minister of Railways, Mr G. BT. Mackley, arid Mr J. Robertson spoke. ARRIVAL AT MASTERTON. On arrival at Masterton Mr J. Robertson appeared at the door of the railcar, and said it gave him great pleasure to introduce to Masterton . people the first Labour Prime Minister of New Zealand, and to tell them what a fine thing the railcar was. as a ;fast and comfortable means of transport. This was the first time Mr Savage had visited Masterton as Prime Minister of New Zealand. Greeted with cheers Mr Savage said that in the first place he wished sincerely to thank the public for turning out in such large numbers. The last time he was in Masterton he was en-

gaged in a political battle, but this time he came here as Labour’s first Prime Minister. He was going to try to deserve the privilege and the honour the ..people had bestowed on him. Referring: to .the rail-car, Mr Savage said it marked the beginning of a revolutionary change in the railway system of New Zealand. The public would only know what it meant when it had sat in-these cars on the way to Wellington as it would then realise and appreciate what modern transport really, amounted to. Stating that various Ministers of the Crown were with the party that day, including the Minister of Railways, Mr Sullivan. Mr Savage said they also had with them a very enthusiastic and capable manager of the railways, Mr Mackley. The work of turning out these cars had largely emanated from Mr Mackley and his staff and much credit was duo not only to thejn but also to the staff in the workshop. In again thanking the people of Masterton for their presence Mr Savage said he also wished to thank Mr Mackley and the Minister of Railways for the privelege of meeting the public that day. He added that the Labour Government was now engaged in carrying out the policy it had promised at election time and the next time he visited Masterton he hoped they would have a monument of service, carried out for the benefit of the whole of the people of New Zealand. Remarking, “It looks like an elec-

tion meeting, doesn’t it, Mr Robert-, son,’’ as he stepped forward to speak, Mr Sullivan expressed his appreciation of the largo attendance of the public, which had shown so much interest iri the new rail-car. Stating that in the past it had been said that the railways were obsolete and had been defeated by road services, Mr Sullivan said they were going to show the people that that was not the case. They were going to show them that they could provide a service of rapid transit, comfortable and attractive in every way. In starting these new services they looked to the help and support of the people. The people of the Wairarapa particularly fortune in being given the first service by these new cars. Two more cars would be finished very soon and with three cars available they hoped to be able to start the service. Mr Sullivan said that Mr Robertson, the Member for Masterton, had driven him nearly crazy by wanting to know when the new service would start and he would be very glad when the service did start so that. he. could ge.t some peace. Referring to the presence of the Prime Minister, Mr Sullivan said the journey that day had been “like a triumphant political tour. ’ ’ Mr Savage, he said, had been "compared with the late Richard John Seddon and he believed that when the history of this country was written Mr Savage and Mr Seddon would'be ranked together as the two greatest reformers the. country had ever seen.

Mr Mackley said he took it as a great compliment to see such a large crowd gathered and he considered that it was some recompense for the efforts that had been made by the staff associated with him in the production of this new vehicle, which was an example of the efficiency of the staff. In view of the fact that they were doing tlieir best as a department to place AVairarapa and Masterton in particular on the map he hoped the residents of the district would support them in their efforts. They were providing 201,000 more passenger miles per year for the Wairarapa and it would be possible to make the journey between Masterton and Wellington in 2J hours. The quality of service would be the best in any part of New Zealand at the present time. Mr Mackley said ho thought he could fairly and without justice ask the people of the district to support the new service. In point of quality and of cost there would be no cheaper transport in the world. It would pay motorists to leave their cars at home, as the Department would take them to Wellington and back for 10s lOd -whereas it would cost at least 30s to run a car. Three cheers were given for the Railways Department and another three for the Prime Minister, followed by one each for Mr Robertson and for Mr Mackley.