SHORTAGE OF TRUCKS,

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13484, 10 May 1907, Page 6

SHORTAGE OF TRUCKS,

DISCUSSED. BY CHAMBER OF ' COMMERCE. The matter of shortage of = railway trucks was again before the Chamber of Commerce yesterday afternoon, when the Railway Committee reported what had been done in connection with the deputation which waited upon Mr. Ronayne, : general manager for railways. The shortage was causing very serious inconvenience', and it was one of the strangest things imaginable that a railway department should have to be pleaded with to induce it to provide the rolling stock to carry on its business.

Mr. B. Kent, chairman of the committee, said that Mr. Ronayne had tried to make a good case out of a bad one, and, of course, had failed. ' - ,

The President (Mr. N. A. Nathan) considered that a strong deputation should wait on the Minister for Railways. (Hear, hear.) The Hon. W. Hall-Jones, it was understood, was likely to be in Auckland shortly. . Mr. Kent remarked that the ActingPremier had announced a great surplus. Why did not the Government use some of that surplus to provide rolling stock for its railwavs? ' The" President: The Hon. Mr. McNab and the Hon. Mr. Millar had both been round portion of the province. They have seen the progress being made, and they will, no doubt, be able to add weight when the matter comes before Parliament for a largely increased vote for rolling stock. Mr. A. Burt did not see why the Government should not call for tenders within the colony for the construction of trucks. Any number of firms would tender. The Government let contracts for locomotives; why not for trucks also? . Mr. J. B. Macfarlane said that portion of the material for trucks had' to be imported in any case, and he saw no reason why tenders should not be called in New. Zealand.

On Mr. T. Peacock's motion it was decided to urge the Government to call for tenders within the colony for rolling stock, and to lay the whole question before the Minister for Railways upon his visit here.