RAILWAY RESTRICTIONS

Evening Star, Issue 17085, 2 July 1919, Page 4

RAILWAY RESTRICTIONS

EAT STOCK MARKET AFFECTED. MEETING AT BURNSIDE. PROTEST TO MINISTER: D wring the course of the ■weekly stock sale at Burnside to-day a meeting of farmers and butchers was held to consider the railway restrictions as far as they affected the carrying of fab stock under the new regulations, which oame into force to-day. Only fat stock consigned to abattoirs will be accepted for conveyance by rail, so that the effect of the embargo would be to practically dose up the weekly sale at Burnside, seriously bom per the farmer and. but,•. her, and" eventually raise the price ofjueat to the consumer. Mr Thomas Smith (chairman of the Master Butchers’ Association) said the new (regulations practically meant the closing of the Burnside Sakyards. He had been in communication with the local Railway Traffic Manager, who stated that he had no option but to comply with the instructions issued from headquarters. Mr Bowles h-d, however, wired to Wellington, and a reply was expected some time during tire afternoon. Farmers and batchers were placed in a very serious position, and the consumer would probably evontuaJy fed the restriction much more severely than anyone else, as the price of fat .sheep had advanced 5s per head, .and he thought this conk! be attributed to the restriction referred to. The effect of this would be an advance in retail prices. Personally, he would have preferred that the passenger traffic had bean curtailed instead of the live stock traffic. He moved: That this meeting of butchers and farmers assembled at Burnside sale view with alarm the very drastic curtailment in the carrying of fat stock to tftc central sakyardis where .butchers purcha&o their weekly supplies. The now regulations will prove disastrous’ to many in the trade—in fact, means forcing the smaller butchers out of the business; firstly, bccauae they cannot leave their shops to scour the country lor supplies; secondly, because their financial position do not enable them to buy more than one week’s supply. It would also have the effect of raising the prices to all consumers. This meeting ’•espersfn-ly suggest that the embargo on the carriage of tat stock be amended, and that tno Railway Department bo empowered to accept consignments of fat stock so that auction sales may be continued at the recognised fat stock sell big centres. Further, that a copy i,>f this resolution bo forwarded to the Minister of Railway®. Mr John Wilson (Lsudcri. in seconding ths motion, said the situation created was one demanding immediate attention, Mr D. Allan said he was not in a position. to speak for' the- .Belling Brokers’ Association, but he was personally convinced that unless something was dune immediately the small butcher and the small farmer would be very seriously affected. Mr J. fißArthur also supported the resolution. He said the position was on© which affected Burnside much moi-o than it did Addington or Wailaootown, as practically •all tire stock which, oame to Burnside yard* ,ceme by rail The motion was carried rmc-rdmoariy. SOME OF THE INCON VESTENOES. [Pbb. United Pi>bs3 Association.] WEI.LINGT-3N, July 2. In consequence of tire curtailment of the railway services all railway travelling pout off css will be discontinued _ from to-day, and all letter-soi ling on trains will caaee, which will necessarily impose sonaa delay m the dollwery of conxspondseco. NOT -A-CSEERFCTL RROBPEC'B. WISINGTON, Jtriy 2. In farther explanation of the railway reductions, tire authorities state that ■Kliereas railwa-ys require 5,000 tons of ccmvl weekly, they have only 9,000 ton® in eight to the middle of Avgust. At that rate there is only enough to last nine or ten days. If the strike in_ Australia, ended no immediate, relief could ho expected, the ships would have to he sent there, and on tlmir return comply wMi tho -quarantine regulations. The Government, aro doing their act-most to-obtain ships- and eoaL