Shortage Of Waggons Persists At Lyttelton

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30216, 22 August 1963, Page 16

Shortage Of Waggons Persists At Lyttelton

Rail waggons were again short at Lyttelton yesterday for the third successive day. As on the previous two evenings, most vessels were un-

able to discharge after 5 p.m. Several sailings have been affected. In addition to the delays caused by the waggon shortage, rain prevented work for most of the manning. Snow fell shortly after 8 a.m. More then 400 waggons were required ait 8 a,m. yesterday to keep the port working normally, but only 200 were available. Last evening, the Iberic. Holmbank, Poranui, Tancred. Ustira and Kweichow lay idle.

Vessels which were worked last evening were the City of Birkenhead, Ngakuta, and Kaitui. The Holmburn, which was loading, was also worked, and road transport was used to take cargo from the Holmlea. An inter-colonial freighter, the Waimea, which arrived in the afternoon, was able to discharge cars and sheep last evening. The port is busy and more ships are expected today. The president of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce (Mir R. E. McNish) said last evening that the waggon shortage was a problem that had been around for a long while and one on which the Chamber of Commerce had spent much study. “This shortage of waggons is a perennial problem which will probably ease once the road tunnel opens. One can hardly ask the Railways Department to undertake a massive building programme of waggons when one cannot say how things will be at the port once the tunnel opens,” he said.