MORE TRUCKS WANTED.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 45, 22 February 1929, Page 9

MORE TRUCKS WANTED.

FERTILISER FIRMS COMPLAIN.

POSITION OP DEPARTMENT.

DIFFICULTY OF MEETING PEAK

DEMANDS,

Representatives of sixteen fertiliser firms operating in Auckland have telegraphed to the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) directing his attention to the shortage of railway trucks and sheets, and the hardships it is imposing on the industry.

"At some period every year, and for many years past, the shortage has been «o acute that the industry has been held up at considerable expense to manufacturers, and involving loss of time to employees." stated the telegram that was forwarded from a meeting of the merchants yesterday. "Merchants are also involved in heavy Harbour Board storage while waiting supplies of trucks and sheets. Some assurance is asked that prompt measures will be taken which will not only improve matters in the immediate present but which will be of a permanent nature, thus obviating the annual recurrence of an old complaint which undoubtedly is retarding the development of the industry and causing at the same time considerable expense and inconvenience." In discussing the position to-day. Mr. E. Casey. North Island Superintendent of Railways, said that in any transport concern it was difficult to supply rollingstock to meet peak demands without a certain amount of delay and inconvenience. The Department had closely watched the position as it affected the r-arriage of manures, and had even gone to the extent of restricting non-urgent loads throughout the North Island in order to meet the situation created by heavy importations of manure this year. Every effort was being made by the Department to arrange for the supply of rolling according to the urgency of the The situation this year had been accentuated by the transfer to the new workshops at Otahuhu. which had caused some interference to the progressive building of new rolling stock and the making of repairs.