THE MINISTER FOR RAILWAYS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2489, 30 April 1909, Page 5

THE MINISTER FOR RAILWAYS.

HON. J A. MILLAR INTERVIEWED. TRAFFIC ON THE MAIN TRUNK LINE The Hon. J. A. Millar, Minister for Railways, arrived in Auckland irom Taupo by the Rotorua express, last week, and took up his quarters at the Grand Hotel. In conversation with a representative of the “Auckland Star” Mr. Millar .said that he had felt run down and therefore went t-o Taupo for a few days’ rest. “Did you have a chance to see Xgauruhoe at work?”

‘‘Yes, 1 saw a big burst up last Thursday, ft was a most magnificent display. I do not think that Waimangu was higher. Of course I was a good distance away, but it must have gone up three or four thousand feet.” '•‘Are you able yet to state how the traffic on the through line. from Auckland to 'Wellington is shaping?” “Well, I can tell you at once that the traffic on the Main'Trunk railway has, so far, exceeded all expectations. The question is whether it will continue at the present rate, or is -it merely the novelty of the new route that is appealing to the people. During the last four weeks, in addition to the trucks that are being built here, I have had to transfer fifty from Wellington section, and also to ship another fifty from Dunedin. These are all for either the Main Trunk line traffic or for the Auckland section of our railways. There are -another fifty waggons to come from Dunedin, which were intended for the Hurumu-Bluff but the pressing needs of the traffic of the Auckland district has necessitated the transfer of these waggons to this end. In order to cater for the coal trade, which is growing steadily in the Auckland district, wo have also taken twenty-five of the large 30ton timber trucks and put sides on them, which will make provision for the carriage of about 750 tons of coal._ lou see, the opening of the through line is causing the coal from this distinct to bo sent down to places it did not reach before. and extra waggons arc needed, f. took advantage of the dullness m the timbre; trade to use these waggons to meet the growing needs in other directions. If the present traffic on the through line mav bo taken as a fan indication for the' future, there is going to be very heavy business done. As far as the passenger traffic as concerned, 1 learned that last Friday there were 20 carriages when the express reached Frank ton, and in all of them the people wore standing up. In addition to the express, wc have already to run about three specials every week. It has taken all our tune to find the requisite haulage power. It is taxed to the utmost just now, but this will he remedied as we get the other covert new engines that are being bVnit bv Messrs. Price, of the Thames. ’ “Will that take long?” “We are getting a new locomotive from' Prices every six weeks. I may also say that the engines built by Price are doing really good work. In traction power and saving iuol and water, they prove superior to -any other type we have built. I can tell you that this through service is going to cause great development at this end ol the country.” , , , m “Did you have good sport at lau-

po ? * J “Yos, the rainbow trout there are the finest I have even seen in New Zealand. They 'are ay fat as butter, and i saw one trout weighing 191bs. caught and another 17-Jlbs. Personally I caught one weighing lolbs., and another a pound lighter. ' The lake is simply teeming with fish, but the biggest this, year were caught at Tokaanu. Still, in all parts of the lake you can get. fish tram. lOlbs. up to as high as 20llw. in weight. Up at Tongariro the brown trout can be got weighing 301bs. there ,is mie point 1 would like to emphasise, and it is this, that I consider unless the Acclimatisation Society which bodv has charge of-the fishing on .the rivers and hikes—withdraw the right to trail lines within a given distance of the mouths of rivers, fly-fisliing will be spoilt. Trailing the lines behind with a big minnow for bait is not hsh.dng for sport, and what is worse it disturbs the trout and they go right out, 'Phis should he prohibited within, say, 200 or 300 feet of the mouth of a creek or river.”