Rail dispute forces perishables embargo

Press, 2 September 1977, Page 1

Rail dispute forces perishables embargo

The Railways Department put an embargo on accepting perishable goods at Christchurch just before midday yesterday as industrial action by railway tradesmen took a stranglehold on goods services. Twenty-six goods trains from Christchurch will have been cancelled by noon today. This number is expected to grow as further guards’ vans are withdrawn for regular maintenance.

Throughout New Zealand, 47 goods trains were cancelled yesterday. Of the department’s 327 guards’ vans, 140 are now out of service.

The directive banning perishable goods came from Wellington and will be imposed nationally today. Therembargo has had no immediate effect on the flow of goods but a serious disruption to meat loading at Lyttelton is expected to develop by Monday. A Railways spokesman said that export meat loaded out at local works posed no problems as this involved only shunting to Lyttelton and no guard’s van was required. However, difficulties would arise with meat coming from further afield.

About 400 tonnes of meat from Timaru to be loaded aboard the Unity Reefer at Lyttelton is expected to pose a problem.

A meat shipment to the Arabian Gulf might also be disrupted — the Hawke’s Bay is to start loading 320 tonnes of freezer cargo, about half of which is to come from Balclutha.

The Railways spokesman said that the department was taking a blanket approach to tlie embargo. Each case would be treated on its merits.

Consignments of North Island perishables such as tomatoes, citrus fruits, and kumaras already en route will not be held up but supplies are expected to end after the week-end.

The No. 9 Transport Licensing Authority yesterday granted three emergency licences to allow the transport of perishable goods bv road to Ashburton, Blenheim. and Dunedin.

A Christchurch grocery firm and two bakeries seeking permission to deliver goods in their own vehicles before the week-end were the only applicants for emergency licences. But they were just “the tip of the iceberg”, according to the authority’s assistant secretary (Mr A. S. Mitchell). “I anticipate a lot more of these tomorrow and during the week-end until the rail dispute is resolved,” he said.

The effects of the dispute have not yet been felt by the Railways Road Services or the National Airways Corporation. A Road Services spokesman said that there had been no change in the volume or type of freight carried. Some buses on the West Coast have been affected by the dispute. The district manager of Road Services in Christchurch (Mr R. S. McKenzie) said that composite buses — the type affected — were used only in Dunedin anu on the West Coast. Composite buses are designed to carry freight and passengers. The regional manager of N.A.C. (Mr K. E. Costello) said that there had been no noticeable difference in the amount of freight carried by air.

The director of the Canterbury Manufacturer's Association (Mr J. D. Howell) said that manufacturers face serious problems if the dispute carried over to next week. Goods would be unable to- get to port and would therefore pile up in warehouses, causing a shortage of space. Manufacturers could also have liquidity problems because if the goods were not getting

away, they would not be paid for them. The assistant manager of Macfarlane and Growers, Ltd, (Mr M. K. Hawker) said that the embargo should have little effect on local produce supplies.

Tomatoes from Auckland would have to be flown down instead of sent by rail and fruit, such as citrus, kiwi fruit, and tamarillos would have to be carried by refrigerated sea freighter.’

Vegetables sent from Christchurch to the West Coast would have to go by road instead of rail but this would make little difference for a short period

Produce from Nelson and Oamaru would also have to be carried by road. The Minister of Labour (Mr Gordon) has written to the Railway Tradesmen's Association, reports the Press Association from Wellington. A spokesman tor the Minister said that Mr Gordon had sought the association's views on the dispute, and possible further arbitration. He believed that the Minister still awaited a reply from the association.

The dispute had also been discussed yesterday by the Cabinet's State services committee.