RAILWAY CURTAILMENT

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10324, 5 July 1919, Page 7

RAILWAY CURTAILMENT

SERIOUS RESULTS THE MINISTER TO BE WAITED ETON. Special to the “Times.” ' AIASIERTON, July 4. A largely-attended, meeting of #business men was held in Masteiton this afternoon under the auspices of the Chamber of Commerce to discuss matters in connection with the curtailment of the railway services. Mr J. Caselberg, president of the Chamber. of Commerce, presided, and alter slating that tho curtailment inconvenienced the general public, he said that there was another aspect—the position of the building trade. The decision not to carry timber on the railways pointed to" unemployment tor a number oi hands engaged in the trade. Mr J. M. Coradme stated that he was not looking at the position from the narrow view of the building trade, but he was trying to arrive at a solution of the difficulty. Hd 'said that if the present position continued the country would be faced with a serious industrial problem. A continuation of the conditions would result in a very large number of unemployed in tho building trade. There were two departments —the receiving and tho dispatching. At tho present time the receiving department was cut right out by tno- fact that no timber was being, carried on the railways, and the dispatching department would later meet with a similar fate. He suggested that the passenger traffic bo either cut right out, or curtailed, and necessary goods carried in its place. It might appear a drastic step, but which was .the lesser, .of .the .'.two evils—to . eliminate or curtail the passenger traffic, or bring about an increase of unemployment throughout the length and breadth of tho Dominion? In their own and contingent districts they could do without a. passenger service. There could be one tram per day, and the rest of the hauiage nsed for goods. To have a large number of unemployed was indeed a serious. matter. He did not .assume that the Government had deliberately done the present act tor some ulterior purpose, and suggested that a deputation wait j>n the Government and bring under*” its notice the suggestion he had made. Air R. J. King said that the department was right up against it. There was a coal shortage, and it was no bogey. , The coal tvas not being mined. There would not be one hit of alteration made in the curtailed services until the coal position improved. That was very plain' from ’Air AlcVilly’s statement. <'

Mr G. R. Sykes, M.P., stated that there was no political move in the curtailment and no camouflage. Was it feasible, he added, that on the eve of an election the Government would commit harakiri by curtailing the railway services ? ■ Serious hardship, 1 as a result of unemployment throughout the Dominion, must be prevented. Employers must do everything possible to keep the industries going. 1 - Mr Caselberg stated that the situation was a most serious one. Ho had spoken to the stationmastor on the curtailment of the service, and had asked him if the elimination of the passenger service would help the position as regards the goods traffic. The stationmaster had replied that personally he did not think that it would help one little bit. Passenger carriages on the Arams .were fe.iy, and the passengers travelling;yyere also few in number. . The trams were really big goods trains. • The question was. are we justified in asking for curtailment of the passenger 1 traffic to assist the goods traffic? Would 9 motor service help the position? The stationmaster stated that necessary building material or goods that were essential were being carried, but ho did not think that any building was being held up by the restrictions'. Regarding the carrying of building material, Mr R. Brown moved: “That the question of the Airtailing of the passenger traffic, for .tbo purpose \of •assisting the goods traffic, be referred to the General Manager of Railways, and that a deputation bo formed to interview tlie General Manager.” * Mr F. W, Temple, who seconded the motion, said that at the end of ia fortnight those dealing in building material would require to dispense with soi/e of their men. There was an industrial unrest iu New Zealand, and if more men wore thrown out of work what would be tbo result ? It was hard at the present, time for a working man to make ends meet, and _ a starving man was a dangerous man. Mr D. M. Graham thought that the present was an occasion when they should walk wiirily. If they asked the Government to cut off part of the passenger service, other portions of the Dominion may clamour for improvements in their particular business at our expense. „ „Ho said ho was in favour,of a deputation going to the Minister with an open mind with the object of finding out what was the Government’s actual reason for curtailing the service, and what was the best remedy "for the difficulty that existed. There may be behind the shortage of coal something more, serious than any one in the meeting dreamt of. AVas there actually a shortage of. coal? he asked. AVe find.that Mr McYilly says that there was only 11,000 tons of coal in stock for train running, and that the total in sight between now and the middle of August was 9000 tons: yet the output of coal from Groymouth for the Week ended Juno 30th was 22,569 tons. This "did not provide an understandable explanation of the position, which might be that the Naval authorities are drawing heavily on the* coal supplies, and that for some naval or military reason we are not allowed to know the true position. Air R, Brown drew attention to the fact that the meeting was not putting forward the matter as a Masterton proposition, but as a Dominion question. .The motion was carried, and it was decided that Messts J. Caselberg, J. C. Ctvipor, G. R. Sykes, M.P., J. M. Cpradino, J. T. Hornsby, M.P., tho Mayors of Pahiatua. Eketahuna, Masferton, Carterton, Greytown, and Featherston. the chairman of the Martinborough Town Board, and the chairman of the county councils in the district he asked to comprise tho deputation. Tt. y;,as 'also’ de'fided that, inquiries ho made to ascertain’ wlnt date would he convenient for'the Minister for Railways and the Railway Manager to receive the deputation.

On *lic' motion of f\fr TT. Porrv, it mis rr-olved that tjio florormnent's retention bo drawn to the foot that tlio bridges on the arc tin-

safe for heavy motor traffic, consequently their use is prohibited by the Fcathorston County Council for that purpose. Arrangements should, however, bo made to have the by-law relaxed during the present railway crisis, and tho Fcathcrston County Council should bo approached with that object in view.

ft-was further decided, . on tho nioti>. cf Mr Travers, seconded by Air H. Donald, that tho deputation to the Alinistcr bo asked to protest against liqfior being carried on the railways at* tho present time instead of more important aul essential goods. BUSINESS AIFiN PROTEST. On Thursday afternoon, in tho Dominion Farmers’ Buildings, a renresehtativo meeting of business men was held to discuss certain questions arising out of the curtailment of the railway service. The chair was occupied by tho vicepresident of the Central Chamber oi Commerce (Air A. Leigh Hunt). He said that business men had no intention of harassing tho railway authorities. • They would rather work in with the department to the best advantage during the present crisis. Tho restrictions, at present prohibited the dispatch to merchants, cither in the city or country, of grain or other farm requisites, allowing such goods to be consigned only direct to farmers. By this means the country, distributor was entirely cut out, which would increase the work of the railways because many more smaller packets would have to be handled.

Air R. AV. McVilly, General Alanager for Railways, was informed that if tho restrictions covering the forwarding of these goods to merchants could be relaxed, tho merchants would give their word that no improper advantage would be taken on the concession, and that no more than normal requirements would bo fulfilled by the supplier. This proposal was agreed to by Mr McVilly, who said that fanners could still have fertilisers sent to them, but cement would not ho carried under any circumstances in tho meantime. The regulations when first issued expressly stated that wine, beer, and spirits should not be carried, but it was common property that that lino had now been struck out, and- that the railways wers accepting such goods. This, he considered, was most ifhfair, when many essential ' lines of goods were shut out. Air H. Baldwin moved; “That this meeting, representative of all the business interests of the city and of the executive of the New Zealand Business Association, enters a most emphatic protest against the action of the New Zealand railway authorities iu removing the restrictions on the carriage on the railways of beer, wine, and spirits, and urges that tho restrictions bo immediately rcimposed, in view ot the urgent requirements of the country for absolutely essential goods.” Tho motion was carried unanimously. : The chairman moved as follows, which .was also carried; “That this meeting pledges itself to do all in its power to assist the railway authorities in the present coal crisis,: and' undertakes to prevent, wherever possible,* the carriage of unnecessary goods, and that tho various organisations represented he advised accordingly.”* SERIOUS EFFECTS ON PIG AND POULTRY TRADES." Press Association. . CHRISTCHURCH, July 4. The president of the Farmers’ Union is urging the Alinisier for Railways to put bran and pollard on tho same .footing for carriage on the railways as chaff; otherwise the _ restriction will have a serious effect" on',the pig and poultry business. Tho Minister replied that ho would give carelul consideration to the matter. SLAUGHTERMEN PAID OFF. DUNEDIN, July 4. Owing to the railway restrictions, killers and assistants at the Kofrgerating Company’s works at Burnside were paid off last night. But for, the railway .stoppage, slaughtering would have gone on till the cud of July. A LABOUR-” PROTEST. AAMNiGANUI, July .4. A meeting of the Wanganui branch of the Now Zealand . Labour Party passed a resolution regretting the curtailment of the railway* services, which the meeting considered could have been averted by hotter management, and advocating the carriage of building materials in preference to liquor.