HEAVY COASTAL CARGOES

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22108, 2 June 1937, Page 8

HEAVY COASTAL CARGOES

RAILWAY" STORAGE TAXED fc GOODS LEFT AT LYTTELTO* FOR FOUR DAYS Increasing imports by commercial firms have caused some difficulty to the Railway Department in Christchurcb in recent months through lack of sufficient storage space, and with the delay in the arrival of clearing papers and the consequent failure of carriers to cart away goods, the position reached a head this week. Some 6MO tons of mixed goods were unloaded *t Lyttelton last week, compared with the usual weekly figure of about 2500 tons. The sheds were full of cargo, said Mr J. Sawers. goods agent at the Christchurch branch of the New Zealand Railways Department yesterday. Last week more than 6000 tons had been unloaded and cleared from boats including the Port Chalmers. Karetu, Narbada, Canadian Conqueror, Waipiata, Wingatui. City of Oran, and the steamer express. Because of the blockage in the sheds, the cargo of the Pakeha, comprising 1150 tons had been unshipped on Thursday, but had to be left in the trucks at Lyttelton for four days. A similar rush had been experienced at all New Zealand ports,ne added. In the city cargoes had star ~j to accumulate last Wednesday ana Thursday, and with carriers unaD« to remove the goods from the sheas, the present storage at the railw*» yards had not been adequate. Tne cause of the blockage was the very heavy coastal traffic. Working overtime, about 50 m«* employed in the imports shed Jf* which the accommodation space *■" 20.000 square feet) were daily handUM cargoes of machinery and hardware, chemicals, small goods, paper, cotton, casks of liquor of all varxeoe* metal ware and other goods. When the general reorganisation scheme was started. Mr Sawers saw. the shed accommodation for imP Ol ? would be increased from 20.000 feet w 40.000 feet. The new shed at Waltham would, it was anticipated, be adequate to cope with any similar run of cargow and the difficulties would be largew remove**