CARRIAGE OF COAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20303, 10 July 1929, Page 11

CARRIAGE OF COAL.

MORE ROLLING STOCK.

STEPS TO RELIEVE CONGESTION.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL RErOHTER.] 'WELLINGTON, Tuesday.

The estimates for the coming year, which arc now before the Government, provide for a considerable increase in rolling stock, according to a statement made by the Minister of Railways, the Hon. W. 15. Taverncr, in replying, to day to a deputation from the New Zealand Coal Mine Owners' Association.

Mr. W. A. Flavcll, general manager of the West port Coal Company, who acted as spokesman for the deputation, pointed out the difficulties under which tho mines were placed at present owing to a shortage in the number of railway waggons. The matter had been brought under the notice of the department on several occasions, but no great relief had been given. He suggested that a conference should be held between departmental officers and the coalminers with a view to arriving at some solution of the problem. The only real remedy, of course, was an increase in the number of waggons. The Minister said, as no doubt they were aware, the matter had caused the department a good deal of concern and investigations had already been carried out and sortie relief provided, although apparently not sufficient to meet the requirements of the coalminers. The inquiry which had been held revealed that the • shipping companies were largely to blame for the delay in the loading and unloading of waggons. That should not be. The Railway Department was not a storage organisation; it was a transportation concern. "I do not need to assure you that some improvement is required," continued the Minister. "Tho work you are engaged in is of the utmost importance and we want to assist you in every way we can. The estimates now before the Government provide for a considerable increase iu the rolling stock. Probably we will not be able to do as much as the department would like, but that cannot be helped. Some of the waggons are alreadybeing constructed and when they are ready the position will be relieved to some extent."