STRAWBERRIES AND TRANSIT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15138, 31 October 1912, Page 6

STRAWBERRIES AND TRANSIT.

When the new railway expert- who is to be imported from outside New-; Zealand arrives he will, no doubt, j find it an easy matter to effect many ] improvements in our present system of railway methods. But there is.no reason why we. should have to wait i for his advent before attempting to do something to mend matters. There are some things so obvious and simple that there is no excuse for. postponing them. One of these is the necessity for providing adequate, and proper provision on our railways for the " carriage of fruit between Auckland and Wellington. There is every prospect of the Auckland strawberry season being an exceptionally good one*, and- if the Railway. Department .would only show a little more intelligent enterprise in' providing the necessary transit facilities the market for our local growers might be extended as far South as the capital, while growers of small ; fruit in-the South would (be afforded ;:ther.opportunity! of finding remunerative,market for their products in.; Auckland. Reciprocal trade would thus be encouraged to, the immense advantage of the general public, of a large class of industrious men and women, and of the' railways themselves. The Railway Department has made a sort of halfhearted conditional promise to do something in.the direction indicated, but .its action falls far short of what is required. Having regard to the great possibilities of the fruit-grow-ing industry in New Zealand it, ought to be one of the. first duties of the Government to render it every assistance in its power.