DISTRIBUTION

Evening Post, Volume XCI, Issue 146, 21 June 1916, Page 11

DISTRIBUTION

REACHING THE MARKETS.

CENTRAL GOODS-SHED IN WEL-

LINGTON.

There are many reasons, in addition to those already stated, why Otaki should become Wellington's chief sup-' ply depot, and its proximity to the city is not the least important. Naturally the nearer the vegetables are grown to the market, the better quality they are when sold. It is all very well for the Chinese to have gardens at Kilbirnie, but as the city expands they will liava to look elsewhere. Well, Otaki is not too far away, even as the railway service exists now. Vegetables can be cut in the early morning and sold in Wellington the same day, but they are usually taken to. the railway station the night before. Even then they are quite fresh when sold in Wellington. There it tie minimum of j

handling, although a more central depot in Wellington would be regarded with great favour by the growers at Otaki. CENTRAL GOODS-SHED WANTED. • The growers urge the necessity of a central goods-shed, -which would be closer to -Allen-street. Under the existing conditions the goods are discharged at Thorndon, and some of the producers cannot understand why this should be so while there is a railway station at Te Aro, juso opposite the Marts. They can quite see the necessity of having a little train traffic through the city thoroughfares, but they cannot understand why at least one train each morning should not transfer the goods to Te Aro. Of course, that would mean the erection of a goods-shed there, but in asking for that they do not think they ask for too much. CHEAPER AND BETTER. "Such an arrangement would be cheaper and better all round," said one grower. Thorndon, he pointed out, was a long way from Te Aro, and the cartage from there to the markets was a big item to them. At times, when the market was glutted, say, with cabbages, it took all the profit off a sack of these vegetables. However, the best is made of the existing conditions; and no time is lost in selling +he consignments as they come to hand. There is a splendid demand for Otaki vegetables, ; and very often they realise the highest prices. RAILWAY FACILITIES SATISFACTORY. _ In all other respects the railway facilities are: regarded as quite satisfactory, as far as the marketing of the produce is concerned. Some clamour for an .earlier morning train—one leaving Otaki at 5.30 or 6.30 a.m., instead of 9.30 as at present. That would enable the vegetables to be picked early in the morning on the same day in which they were sold, and decided advantage with the delicate class of vegetable, such as asparagus.