THE RAILWAYS AND LIVE STOCK.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7829, 23 June 1909, Page 4

THE RAILWAYS AND LIVE STOCK.

Among the resolutions passed by the Otago Provincial Conference of the New Zealand Farmers' Union at Dunedin on June 2 were the following: "(1) That the Railway Department be requested to allow one man to travel on the railway with from three to ten trucks of stock; above this number an extra man' be allowed. (2) That a i drover b,e allowed, to travel with stock [ through tho Taieri Gorge all tlu> year round free with three trucks, at at present, and when there are only one or two trucks a man be allowed, by paying ordinary second class fare. (3) That all sheep, cattle and pig trucks be fitted with gratings." The Otago Daily Times states that the Minister has now replied to the secretary (Mr Hugh Mitchells) stating: (1) That he cannot see his way "to authorise the extension of the free service, which he regards as a valuable concession, and that if more than one drover requires to travel with stock tho ordinary fare must bo paid; (2) owing to the nature of the country through which the line is laid, it is not considered desirable to run trains carrying passengers through the gorge after (lark, and he cannot authorise any exception to the general rule m the case of drovers. With respect to (3), the Minister says the work of fitting live stock waggons with grating will bo pushed on and completed as soon as possible.