GOODS SERVICE RUNNING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18635, 29 April 1924, Page 8

GOODS SERVICE RUNNING.

CHRISTCHURCH ACTIVITY. A TRIP TO ASHBURTON. STUDENTS AS LABOURERS. SHIPPING AT LYTTELTON. fBX TELEGRAPH.PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHUKCH. Monday. A partial goods service was inaugurated at the Christchurch station this morning and the yard had a more business-like look about it than it has had since the strike beg&n. Shunting operations commenced fairly early, administrative officials acting as shunters and signalmen. None of the regular shunters were to be seen about the yards, although it is stated that some have returned to duty. At about 10.20 a.m. tho first goods train got away to Ashburton, a guard who had returned to duty going in charge of it. Shortly afterwards a train left for Lyttelton with a coaching foreman as guard. Twenty college students offered as casual labourers and were employed mostly in carriage cleaning at Is 9d an hour. An express for Oamaru with 15 carriages and two vans got away at 9.20 a.m. with 600 or 700 passengers. Apart from the railway yards at Lyttelton being practically empty of trucks the waterfront presented a fairly busy appealan*e this morning. There were 12 vessels in port, counting H.M.S. Laburnum and the ferry steamer and the Orepuki in dock. The Cygnet and Canopus, which have paid off their crews, have laid up. " All ships in port are being worked," was the statement made by a shipping official. "The cargo is being placed into trucks, and we hope it will be despatched to town, perhaps to-day or to-morrow. Go along the waterfront," said another shipping official, " and you will see that things are much better than was anticipated." " The skeleton service is running well," said the chairman of the North Canterbury Transport Committee. The Railway Department will now bo able to carry to Christchurch all the petrol from Lyttelton, where several boats are now discharging and that will relieve the position in Christchurch. There are several refrigerating boats coming in during next week, and it is expected a resumption will bo made with the loading of refrigerated cargo about the middle of the week."