SHORTAGE OF ROLLING STOCK

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22109, 3 June 1937, Page 3

SHORTAGE OF ROLLING STOCK

BARBOUR BOARD DISCUSSION Reports that the working of the port tt Lyttelton had been hampered by a shortage of railway rolling stock were briefly discussed at a meeting of the Harbour Board yesterday, when the secretary. Mr C. H. correspondence from the Waterside Workers’ Union, shipping companies, and the Railway Department The union complained that the shortage of waggons was preventing waterside workers from working overtime. Ail the shipping companies endorsed ithe complaint of a shortage. The Railway Department stated that the provision of additional rolling stock was in hand and deliveries of more waggons would be made as soon as possible. The chairman (Mr W. K. McAlpme) •aid that the matter had cropped up year after year. The shortage this season had been acute, and, although he agreed that the board should press for more waggons, in fairness to the Railway Department it should be explained that the difficulty this year had largely been caused by the abnormal rainfall in Canterbury. The. ram had seriously hampered farmers in getting their produce from the farm to the station, and in loading at open sidings thus delaying many trucks at country •tations. . .. ' Mr H. Holland said it was refreshing to find the . waterside workers com-

plaining about being prevented from working overtime. He had always understood that their policy had been against this. ~ . ... Mr R. T. McMillan said that, with all the new industrial legislation in force, railway rolling stock could not be used to the same extent as hitherto. If the Government decided that this legislation was necessary to the country, it must also decide that there, were insufficient trucks. On Mr McMillan’s motion, the board decided to inform the department that there appeared to be a shortage of trucks, and request it to make the necessary additions to its rolling stock