RAILWAY GRIEVANCES.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XX, Issue 2101, 9 April 1925, Page 5

RAILWAY GRIEVANCES.

DISCUSSED WITH DEPARTMENT'S AGENT.

BY LOCAL BUSINESS MEN. There was a good attendance at a meeting of business men held at the Municipal Hall on Tuesday evening under the auspices of the Te Kuiti Chamber of Commerce, for the purpose of discussing railway matters with the Department's business agent, Mr Welsh. Mr Mostyn Jones presided. Mr Welsh mentioned that at the meeting of the Chamber of Commerce which he had attended, something had been said regarding delays in the carriage of goods.

The chairman observed that if these delays could be avoided, it would be of great assistance./ They were not conducive to business. For instance, a week had elapsed between the date he had received notice of the arrival of two motor cars at Hamilton and th'eir arrival at Te Kuiti.

Mr Welsh said this, of course, was largely a matter of loading.

Mr Broadfoot asked when the Department would announce what it was going to do anent the limited and other trains. Mr Welsh said he had no first hand information, but the representations from Te Kuiti to the Minister were not being lost sight of.

Mr G. Elliott commented that it was extraordinary that, though the Government was spending £20,000 at the Waitomo Caves, it was making no extra provision for tourists by stopping the train at Hangatiki or Te Kuiti. Was there anything in the suggestion that the Department would not stop the train because it feared this would encourage New Plymouth business people to travel by motor to Te Kuiti and catch the express there, and save the long journey via Marton? Mr Elliott further wished to know why the Department would grant a license to only one particular transport firm carrying passengers to the Caves, to have access to the Hangatiki station. Mr Welsh said this question was one of space at the station yard, and whether, if another license was granted, it would interfere with the rights of private car owners to get into the station.

Mr Elliott said he was able to get no satisfaction from the Department.

After some little discussion with Mr Elliott, Mr Welsh said he would look into the matter.

Mr Worthington complained that he received potatoes and onions, consigned at the same time as soft fruits, two days before the latter. The soft fruits arrived so late that they were spoiled. Mr Welsh said it was probable that this was the fault of the consignor in Auckland.

Mr Worthington did not think so. He added that he always found the lecal railway officials most pleasant to deal with.

Mr Trust said he represented the Pio Pio Dairy Company. They paid a special rate to get refrigerated cars to carry their butter, and took a great deal of trouble to produce a first rate article Only 10 per cent. of their consignments had been sent in insulated trucks. Mr Wood said the butter had been sent in ordinary trucks. He had seen insulated trucks idle at other places. Mr Welsh said that as the company had its butter carried 15 miles by motor, it certainly had a just claim for insulated trucks. Though he knew the effect such a journey had on butter, the Department was, nevertheless, always being told by companies when they were asked to pay more, that it did not matter whether the butter was railed in insulated trucks or not, and that the butter did not deteriorate,

Mr Cochrane said large, quantities of fencing posts were sent from here to Hawke's Bay and the Wairarapa, and there were continual shortages. Could this be remedied? Mr Welsh said that a certain amount of this was inevitable when goods were consigned to flag stations. Referring to Mr Elliott's complaint regarding the express service, at a later stage Mr Welsh said that the deputation to the Minister has said Te Kuiti was quite satisfied with the present service, but if it was to be altered they wanted the limited stopped.

Mr Mackersey - asked if the new schedule would provide a night express to stop at Te Kuiti. Mr Welsh: Pm sorry, you are asking pointed questions. Mr Rothery said the fear was that the present express would be abolished. Colour had been lent to this idea by the fact that the Minister said three expresses could not be run, and that the limited would not be _ discontinued.

Mr Welsh said the Department had given an undertaking that-Te Kuiti's interests would not be lost sight of, and they would not go back upon that assurance. In conclusion, Mr Welsh urged that when there was a cause for complaint the first man to go to was the local stationmaster. The Department found that in 60 percent, of the cases of late arrival of goods it was the fault of the man who sent them. He urged the public to use the railways, which were their own property, as much as pos-

sible. It was extraordinary to find that, after the Department, for the sake of the farmers, carried road metal at a below profit charge to open up their land, stud stock free of charge, and machinery at low rates. the farmer at the first opportunity forsook the railways for the motor lorry. It should be remembered that if the railways made a loss, the people had to pay through the consolidated fund. It meant increased taxation if the railways were not supported. The legitimate purpose of the motor lorry was to serve the back country, not to compete with the railways. The Department was working on a scheme to co-operate with the carriers, and it would like to arrange with reputable carriers to give them goods and take goods from them and collect the cartage at the other end.

Mr Pavitt said he was conferring with local firms upon such a scheme. At the conclusion of the meeting votes of thanks were carried to the chairman, to Mr Welsh, to the stationmaster, Mr Pavitt, for his courtesy and attention to the needs of the public, and to Mr J. C. Rolleston, M. P., for his efforts in keeping Te Kuiti's needs before the Department.