COAL FOR THE RAILWAYS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17229, 4 August 1919, Page 7

COAL FOR THE RAILWAYS

AN M.P.'S ALLEGATSQNS-V-'--r--- ■ :.'':.-■,-': ■-''■■- - v> . 'piS ■''■„' ■-■ v Vy--r-.^'-~-'-'-' DENIAL, BY ME. McVILLY. ONLY SHALL QUANTITY HELD. '-fST TELSGRATH.— ASSOCIATION.] *' . - Saturday. A? that he, has received ;. con fidential reports as to.'railway coal stocks between' Wellington < and - Frankton'-^Junc-bo» was made by Mr. R. Semple, Mj., to-day. He says his information is from reliable quarters,-and ha is positive that there is. M justification for the present chaotic state of bSairs\brought about by the railway "cat:",' .' . Mr: Scrapie's report states that at Paekakarifci fbere is of coal, the Palmerston lJottb>yard-iB;fuIl? up, and a few days ago -the, authorities asked where extra coal that was coining in was to be stored. « M Cross Greek; Marton, and Tfei*'" hape maita conditions are reported. In «'ellington there were. at' least three thou* sand tons in 4.he bins and yards'. '■, He demands, a public inquiry»- ■■■■>■ Interviewed 'regarding 'Mr. ' Sempie'a allegation^ Mr. R. W. TSScVilly. General Manager of Railways, stated that ii for theweek-ended July 12 the gross' total held s in all depots , from- Auckland to the: Blufif was 8350 tons; for the week -ended; July 19 It was 10,291 tons, And.• for-- the week ended July,2s it was 8900 tons.' On July 12 there Were, only 130 "tail at Paekakarila, and - on- Monday last SO tons tat Pataerston North, from which-supplies were drawn for depots as far north as Xaumarrami, and Jon " one occasion i the ivapier and Wanganui ' line, ass far as, Hawera, and even New: Plymouth. Only 310 tons were held on Monday at Cross Creek. / ' --....,..;.., -, '", -';. ■'~ -, Instead of aJOQltens at Wellington, '%b' asserted, by Mr. ;.Senrple, there was only 600 tons, He wished thes publio to de* amtelyvunderstancl that the coal i stocksfare soft out in the statement recently placed, before the: public. ; j It wae much to lie regretted that statement*"; should be made without first-hand information. " r . *;,?.*'.■ ,i