TRAIN SERVICES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9653, 9 July 1919, Page 5

TRAIN SERVICES

BEER BEFORE TIMBER.

HAMILTON, July 8. The dairy ; industry ;is suffarmg through the restrictions on traffic. Materials needed for extensions and repairs at numerous factories are held up, and this is likely to seriously disorganise next season's business. Companies have, at the suggestion of Mr J. A. Young, M.P., offered to lend the Railway Department sufficient coal for the haulage of their, urgent requirements.

Mr Young wired to the Minister of Railways urging an effort to carry essentials and stating that presumably the coal position on the Auckland section had improved during the past forty-eight hours as evidenced by the fact that a consignee at Hamilton received on Friday five tons, of beer, which one would hardly credit the Department would authorise and schedule as absolutely essential unless the coal stocks were improved.. "Are you or the Cabinet," he asks, ."powerless to insist upon urgently required home building materials, boots, leather, clothing blankets and dairy factory requirements be-^ ing classed as equally essential to the* well-being of the community as ,beer. A few more days of the present.:policy, and unemployment will be widespread." ■ •Mr Young" also wired-to ■ the :ActingPrime Minis ter, urging Cabinet • -to devise means to .assist the Department to meet urgent transport for dairy cows. He added'that- the fact.that a Hamilton consignee received five tons of Joaer on Friday was incensing the public, and early action by Cabinet was imperative; ' ■■;...-.. .• ■■■•■ :'■■•' :.:'' ■-