CARRYING MAILS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9650, 5 July 1919, Page 3

CARRYING MAILS.

COUNTY COUNCIL'S ATTITUDE.

The Canterbury Progress League wrote bo the County Council yesterday asking whether it could assist the County Council in the- organisation of motor carriage to meet the dislocation of traffic caused by the altered railway timetable.

Tlie chairman said he did not think the council could assist in the matter of transit.

[ Cr. Lill said he thought it could > give a subsidy. It was the duty of 1 the council to assist if possible, especially to the people, in the county in getting their newspapers and mails. 1 They should write to the Minister of L Railways and ask him whether he 1 could give any definite idea how long 1 the rail restrictions would last. If they 1 were to extend over a lengthy period, then the council should step in and assist with motor transit. It was possible the Government was trying an experiment to see how far it could X>lay the fool with everybody. To-day, for instance, there was one mail to Christchurch from Ashburton. The Department said it. was running trains to carry goods, etc. To-day he passed a train with one truck and' about 15 carriages with passengers.. Was that, he asked, not a clear case of fooling the public:'' He personally did not believe that coal was at the bottom of the whole business. The thing could not get into such an acuto state that it had come into operation in three days through coal. A motor car could be run from Christchurch each day to bring tho letters and papers early. The council should pay one half of this cost irrespective of what the Auditor might have to say. The chairman said the authorities hinted that the restrictions would last till August. Cr. Lilt said the thing would be in full blast- again at Grand National time. Tlie sporting public would stop at nothing. (Laughter). Cr. Gallagher agreed with Cr. Lill that better arrangements should be made for carriage of mails. The Postal Department should also be asked to relax its restrictions and let responsible people carry the mails as well as the contractors. Cr. C. Reid said it was a waste of time to write to the Minister. The only way was to take action. He suggested the chairman should, consult with the Mayor and find out if a daily motor service could. be arranged to Christchurch. Cr. A. Drummond said he would favour the suggestion of relaxing the system of mail contracts to- give the | farmers a chance to carry the mails. On many occasions the farmers could assist in this.matter. I Cr Lill said the chairman and the Mayor should call a. general meeting to discuss the situation. The chairman said that it would all come right in time, and they could look forward to Sir.Joseph.Ward keeping his promise and dropping mails from aeroplanes. (Laughter). He did not think it wise to call a general meeting. . , It was then decided to write to the Postal Department regarding the relaxing of conditions for carrying mails. The chairman was authorised to act ] with the Mayor in regard to better i transit for mails if occasion arose.