QUEENSLAND RAILWAYS

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 52, 29 August 1925, Page 7

QUEENSLAND RAILWAYS

EMERGENCY TRANSPORT

BRISBANE'S FOOD SUPPLY

(OMTED PBESS ASSOCIATION—-COPIRIOHT.) (Received 29th August, 11,50 a.m.)

BRISBANE, This Day.

Railway traffic throughout the Stat9 has been completely suspended, and pickets have been posted at many of the stations.

Out of 18,000 railway employees, only eight were on duty yesterday. These were the Railway Commissioner, his secretary, the Chief Accountant, the Chief Engineer, and ■ the General Managers at Brisbane, Townsville, Eockhampton, and Toowoomba.

As a result of the railway strike, heavy loads have been thrown on the tramway service, and as the cars drew up at termini they were rushed, even .the drivers' platforms being filled with standing passengers. As all the available cars are regularly in use, not much more could be done by the trams, but the determination of the people to he early materially helped the tramways to cope with the difficulty. The portion of the city milk supply usually sent in by train from the dairying districts was held up for a time, but fortunately, when it was known that.the strike was imminent, arrangements were made for motor trucks to traverse tho country to pick up the supplies and bring them in to cool stores. It is expected that complete arrangements will' be made for to-day. It is stated that if the arrangements are successful many of the suppliers will adopt the new system, as it is contended that they will get better service. CARRIAGE OF PERISHABLES The State president of the Australian Railways Union said that a number of applications had been received for delivery of perishable goods, and in all cases the requests had been complied with. In the Mackay district the strike will have a disastrous effect on canegrowers. Many thousands of tons of cane are lying at sidings and in the fields and are rapidly deteriorating. Two big meat works at Townsville have only sufficient cattle to last till to-day, when they will be forced to close. This will put eleven hundred men out of work, and other smaller works >vill leave 450 men idle. CRISIS AT STATE BORDER ' Many travellers from the south are held up at the border, and accommodation is insufficient to provide for them. There is tremendous confusion regarding luggage, much of which has gone astray. Oars to continue journeys are in great demand, any price being paid for a seat. Many who have not money to pay for this service are stranded.