TRANSPORT TO OHAKEA.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 219, 14 August 1940, Page 6

TRANSPORT TO OHAKEA.

SAVING OF PETROL URGED. Attention was drawn, at the monthly meeting of the Manawatu County Council yesterday, to the fact that materials for the aerodrome at Ohakeu were being forwarded by railway t,o either Palmerston. North or Feilding, and were then being carted by motorlorry to the aerodrome. In view of the restrictions on petrol in other directions, and in view of the fact that the council previously specially strengthened the tramway line leading from the Foxton railway lino to the aerodrome so that heavy loads could be transported, the council decided to bring the matter before the Public Works Department. The chairman (Cr \V. E. Barber) said that in spite of repeated requests on the part of the Government on the urgent need for conserving petrol supplies, no apparent action had been taken to divert the transport of materials for Ohakea from the road to the rail. He instanced the fact that certain steel work for the two new hangars was being made in Wellington and sent by the Public Works Department by rail to Palmerston North and then by road to Ohakea. This action completely ignored the existence of a railway service right to the aerodrome and seemingly ignored also the Government’s call for the conservation of petrol. If the rail were used much petrol could be saved. The chairman went on to refer to another case which concerned certain materials which came from Auckland for the aerodrome. These were railed from Auckland to Feilding and then sent out by road transport, cajling for the use of considerable quantities of petrol. Just why the materials were not sent to Palmerston North and then on by rail to Ohakea over the Sanson tramway system the chairman said lie could not understand, nor could he appreciate how the Government allowed such a state of affairs to exist in face of its rationing of petrol. . It was decided to take the matter up with the Public Works Department.