MINISTER OF RAILWAYS IN CHRISTCHURCH.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXI, Issue LXII, 10 May 1912, Page 4

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS IN CHRISTCHURCH.

Mr 4 H? r ISTCHURCH, May 9. nr«™ Av, M-,Myers, Minister of Rail-.-jays, after receiving deputations to&oV at ? touching the object of his visit to the South Isfe \r My to, ur of the S°uth Island " Mr Myers said, <<is taken with a view of examining the railway system and oLn?\ g Tthe °S eers of departments over which I preside. It is essential that one should have some personal informatTJ* f- egard to.? n? matters beforeadjudicating upon them. As I intimated to one deputation this morning, it is contemplated that the railway facilities at Chnstchurch station shall be increased, and to that end lam beingfurnished with full reports by my dt f aIIT?M officer*- Everywhere I go 1 nnd that, owing to increased traffic ments. This I view with some satisfaction, as it discloses the fact that the demands are made because of the increased development of the country It is my desire that the Railway Department should recognise their responsibility as public carriers, and should give every reasonable facility to our customers It is quite clear, howeveiC that this like every other question, ik governed by the all-important quesC ot finance, and one has to recognise the fmanc.al aspect of affairs before com! mg to a final conclusion. The policy of th e Department will be to carry out urgent 0" T^M^ are most wS r, , Minister was asked whether he would say anything on the question of railway extension,°particu! fc 7 2? a? e?. tm2 South Island Mam Trunk line. "I fully recognise the important part transit plays i n the development, of our dominion," he said, and while there is such an enormous PS rH onT° f Mlts resources still undeveloped the Railway Depjartment has by no means reached its ultimate. I believe that it is desirable always to obtain the fullest data and information first and it is impossible to launch a comprehensive scheme until that has been done " _ A large deputation, representing the fruitgrowers' Association, was introdv-? + thf r Minister by Mr Geo. Witty, M..P. Mr Witty said that at one •time timber for fruit cases was carried tree on the railways, but owing to the selfishness of timber firms, which sent ior timber 350 miles away, in order to save 'a halfpenny a case, tho concession was withdrawn, and free carriage for a hundred miles was substituted. The deputation wanted to ask for free carnage of timber from the nearest milling district. Failing that, they asked that a half white pine measurement be charged of not more than ljd per case. Ihey were really paying 2>-d per case in the meantime. At present the "shooks" had to be put in bundles, and that was objected to. The deputation suggested that the concession should be mndo only to bona fide fruitgrowers. The Minister said that the fruit industry was an imootrant one, and was capable of expansion for export purposes. The Railways Department was anxious to give every facility for the carriage of goods, but it had to conduct its business on business lines. He could not give tl+e deputation an answer at once. He believed in putting everyone on the same footins, but the matter would have to be fully considered as affecting the whole country. He would make enquiries into the matter, and let the deputation know the result.