Speed and Comfort.

The Minister detailed the steps that had been taken until the opening of the Wellington railway station, since

(Rly. Publicity photo.)
The gathering at Wellington Station being addressed by the Minister of Railways, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan.

when the line had become a purely suburban one, owing to the transfer of the main trunk traffic to the Tawa Flat deviation, and spoke of the transfer of the road motor services to the Department, enabling the first stage in the co-ordination of the transport services in the area to be introduced. And now had come the electric service by the multiple-unit system.

“In appearance and comfort the new service offered all that could reasonably be desired in a service of this nature. When the time-tables were examined, it would be found that in speed and frequency of service they would bear comparison with the best to be found in any area of similar population in any country.

“A power sub-station was erected at Khandallah and the main sub-station at Kaiwarra (for the Wellington-Paekakariki electrification) was strengthened to meet the needs of the Johnsonville line,” said the Minister. “One important new element in the electrification of this line was the use of mercury-arc glass bulb rectifiers at the sub-stations. These converters were the largest of the kind to be used on any railway, and in all the tests they page 18

(Rly. Publicity photo.)
Mrs. D. G. Sullivan cutting the ribbon to mark the inauguration of the service.

had been subjected to they had given complete satisfaction to the Department's technical staff.

“It is possible, Mr. Nash, that you may have to build more houses in that area, as the result of the Department's transport developments,” continued the Minister. “Meanwhile the local bodies concerned have done much to advance the claims of the district in a public-spirited way. They have co-operated with the Railway Department in obtaining the best possible transport service. I am assured by the officers and the Department that the conferences with the district local bodies have been most helpful. I know that Mr. Mackley and the staff concerned in the construction have cooperated to make it as successful as possible. It remains for the public to use the services to the best advantage in order to justify the considerable expenditure that has been entailed in making a first-class suburban electric train service out of the old Wellington-Johnsonville line.”