WATERING STOCK.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19888, 27 March 1930, Page 10

WATERING STOCK.

FARMERS AND RAILWAY DEPARTMENT.

FACILITIES AT STATIONS. Matters of interest both to the Railway Department and the farming community were discussed at yesterday's meeting of the executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union (North Canterbury branch), when Mr P. Pawson, Railway Business Agent, met the executive. The chairman,. Mr C. Mcintosh, said that nearly a year ago there had been a movement for increasing the facilities for the watering of stock at railway stations. Negotiations had been going on since then, but the latest reply from the Railway Department stated that the necessity for tho facilities was hardly sufficient to warrant the heavy expenditure involved. Mr Pawson, speaking for the Railway Department, said that so far as the watering of stock was concerned, many farmers preferred not to have their stock watered previous to trucking. Enquiries made from the traffic managers in the South Island, had shown that the consensus of opinion was against watering, and for the short distances which stock had to be trucked increased troughs and watering facilities were unwarranted..

"If, however, there are any specific stations where facilities are essential/' said Mr Pawson, "I am prepared to go into it. We are endeavouring to curtail our expenditure, though of course without detriment to our service, and general opinion does not appear to justify the establishment of such facilities at present:" Mr Mcintosh was in accord with Mr Pawson's remarks, and stated that the journeys covered in the Canterbury district did not entail the necessity of watering the stock at railway station* "We want, however, to help the farmers in all reasonable requests, but the expense in this case seems hardly warranted." Mr G. Warren remarked that county councils hkd frequently been written to asking that water-races should be covered over for the benefit of motorists, and now the Railway was being asked to provide troughs. He moved th"at the Farmers' Union write to all the county councils suggesting that drinking .areas be provided as near as possible to railway stations. The motion was seconded by Mr D. J. Hawke, who said, however, that frequently stock .accustomed to drinking from water-raoes were unwilling to drink from troughs, but that these would be benefioial in a few cases where long journeys were necessary. The chairman expressed the opinion that the motion would prove sufficient and it was carried.