RAILWAY ROLLING-STOCK.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1265, 21 October 1911, Page 8

RAILWAY ROLLING-STOCK.

WHAT THE MINISTER FOR RAILWAYS SAYS. Tho Domiuion secretary of tho Farmers' Utiiou (Mr. 15. C. Jack) has rcceiycd tnc toltou'iupr roply from tho .Minister tor lvtiilwnys relative to tho resolution passed at tho i)ouiinion Conforonco asking that inoro tnicKs bo supplied to copy with tho-grain, ami live stock tralilcr "With tvl'cix'uco to tho resolutions that wore 'pa?so(l by tho Dominion Coniorencc of tho i\ T ou- Zealand Farmers' Uiuon urpin z that additional roiling stock ehould bo provided for the conveyance of goods and" live stock, I have the honour to inform you that tho Department annually increases the number of wagons to meet tho growing traffic, but it must bo rccogniscd tlint it cannot undertake to proviso sutiici-ont rolling stock to meet tho greatest possible demand at any ouo particular moment. Railway traffic is, in tho nature of things, liable to considerable fluctuation, and if the Department were required to keep sulficicn: rolling stock to meet the greatest possible demand, a very considerable expenditure would bo involved in tho provision of rolling stock which, for the greater part of the year, would bo lying idle and depreciating. This applies particularly t° shesp and cattle wagons, for wluch tho demand, is very* severe for a few months of tho year. 1 would noint out, however, that from Anril 1, 1909, to September IG, 1911, tlio number of sheep and cattie wagons .was increased by 267, and there aro at present 112 new wagons on order. Iu regard to merchandise wagon?, during tho former period 1112 wagons, of which. 80 were wagons of 20 25 tons capacity, woro added to tho rolling stock, and at the present time there are 137.1 wagons on order. In addition to this, it is anticipated that tho now system by which goods traffic to tho smaller stations is restricted to- certain days in tho week will enable? the Department to get at least 30 per cent, more out of. the existing rolling stock than was hitherto possible. In the circumstances, I am of opinion that your union will recognise that the Department is doing all that it possibly can with tho funds available to moot > the growing requirements of tho traffic."