The Evening Mail. THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 1878.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 546, 31 January 1878, Page 2

The Evening Mail. THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 1878.

The cry for additional railway trucks is pretty universal now : but what it will be presently it is unpleasant to contemplate. Even now farmers have stacks of grain in such numbers as to rendeer it absolutely impossible for the railways to bring them into Oamaru, and these will gradually increase in bulk and number as the harvest advances. What is to be dune? The railway authorities are not provided with a sufficient number of trucks to compass the business between Oamaru and the Breakwater, much less the immense traffic that an Oamaru harvest brings with it. Those who are responsible for this unsatisfactory state of things are guilty of conduct that is inexcusable. The Harbour Board has, times out of number, appealed to the railway authorities for an increase in the number of trucks to keep pace with the traffic, but without any other result than that they were being made, or they were on their way from England. It is the jjduty of those who have the conduct of such matters to see that such dead-locks do not occur in the transportation of settlers' produce as that which now threatens us. It was bad enough last season, and the difficulties then encountered ought to have ensured the adoption of means to prevent the recurrence of the trouble. The position now is that with infinitely more produce to carry, the Railway Department is no better prepared than it was last year to cope with the traffic. Some officials care not one jot so long as they get their salaries. Responsibility rests lightly upon their shoulders : but, think goodness, there are means of bringing them to book. For the information of certain of them we would inform them that this district is growing, and that their appliances must grow in a similar ratio. There can be no valid reason for the present unsatisfactory state of matters. If trucks ordered from England, through the instrumentality of some enemy or enemies of the country, have not arrived, and are not likely to arrive in time to meet the difficulties of the case, let some be made here. They will be wanted, and are always good stock. In the meantime the Department should, by means of relays of men, work day and night in order to keep pace with the traffic. The mountains of grain up country will have to be transported to Oamaru, and that speedily, and the Government will be highly blameable if they do not take immediate steps to save the loss and inconvenience that must accrue to the st-ttliTS if the Railway Department should fail to keep pace with their requirements.