Chch goods trains cancelled, but no freight pile-up

Press, 3 September 1977, Page 1

Chch goods trains cancelled, but no freight pile-up

Christchurch's goods train services have been halved as a result of industrial action by the RailwayTradesmen’s Association. From 8 a.m. yesterday until noon today, 24 goods services will be cancelled, according to the Railways train-running office, and at least one branch line will have all services suspended during the week-end.

All trains on the Waiau branch have been cancelled as from last evening and are not expected to resume until Monday at the earli est.

However, Railways ofli cials say they have had few problems in accommodating freight on the remaining services. The Railways goods manager (Mr C. W. Clauson) said about 1200 tonnes for the North line were

waiting in the yard at 3 p.m. yesterday — “a little more than normal, but this will be cleared away by one night train.” The ban on perishable goods imposed on Thursday remains in force but has not been extended. So far there had been no complaints from customers, said Mr Clauson. The ban on maintaining composite buses had left the Railways Road Services relatively unscathed, said the district manager (Mr R. S. McKenzie). The onlv service affected so far has been the composite bus service between Hokitika and Fox Glacier. This ran three times a week, said Mr McKenzie, and had been replaced by an ordinary passenger coach. The Minister of Labour

(Mr Gordon) said in Wellington last evening he was confident that the ban on servicing and maintaining of railway rolling stock would tie lifted next week, the Press Association reports. After an hour-long meeting with representalives of the Railway Tradesmen's Association, Mr Gordon said the union had suggested a new wav of solving the dispute, but he could not see it ending before Monday. If the suggestion did work, the dispute would have to go to arbitration, and the union accepted this. However. the union wanted to have a say in the terms of reference of the arbitration and the selection of the arbitrator