THE PICTON STEAMER

Evening Post, Volume XCVIII, Issue 138, 9 December 1919, Page 11

THE PICTON STEAMER

STATE SERVICE SUGGESTED.

A~req„sfc ra received by the- Central Chamber of Commerce yesterday from the Marlborough Chamber for co-operation in an endeavour to obtain better transport facilities between Picton and Wellington. It was stated that the passenger service was no better now than ten years ago. The progress made by the province was dependent upon an adequate transport service, and the growing import_ice of Picton as the terminus of the South Island Mam Trunk line rendered necessary the provision of better facilities than at present. It was urged that the Government should provide a service by an up-to-date passenger steamer. The Chairman (Mr. A. L. Hunt) remarked that there was an important principle involvedl —the running of Stale steamers. Some of them were not too enamoured of Government management, but it did seem strange that two lines o£ Government railway should not be linked by a Government steamer.

Mr. W. A. Cotton said that Lyttelton wa.s fairly well, provided for, but Marlborough had. been starved. The obvious thing was. for the Government to take over the ferry service. >

Mr. F. Castle said that, as private enterprise had failed to meet the needs of the situation, it was plain that the Government should now step in,

On the motion of the Chairman, it was decided to support the Marlborough Chamber's request, with an addition that if the Government should not approve ths proposal it should endeavour to bring about a better state of affairs by other means.