SHORTAGE OF ROLLINGSTOCK.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13859, 23 March 1907, Page 10

SHORTAGE OF ROLLINGSTOCK.

MEAT TRADE AFFECTED. Q?*ou Ode Own Corilespondf.nt.) AUCKLAND, March 22. Offing to ilic shortage of trucks the handling of meat oil the railways has been most unsatisfactory. Sonic idea of the extent, to which (radc is being hampered will be gathered from a letter sent, to tlio Farmers' Freezing Company by the Kew Zealand Shipping Company, as follows:— "Wo arc this morning in receipt of your tclephonic advice that your shipment of moat, by the s.s. Opawa will be approximately 6000 Jambs. As your booking for this vessel was 10,000 to 12,000 carcases, this is a very serious falling-off in the quantity, ami will cause considerable financial loss. We understand from you that this shortage is occasioned by want of railway trucks to bring the stock from the Wnikato. Such being the rase, we hope you will bo able to recover the amount of our claim for less sustained through short shipment from the Railway Department. This is t.ho second time within two months that, your shipments have been considerably less than the engaged space for meat, and the same excuse for short shipment has been advanced on 'both occasions—namely, want, of trucks. We think it. high time that some forcible representations were made to the Government with regard lo the utter incapacity of (lie Railway Department- to cope with the trade of this' port. AVliile on the subject of meat we would ask you again to bring under the notico of the Railway Department the unsatisfactory method adopted in handling the meat front the lime it arrives at the Auckland Station until jt reaches Ihe ship's side. Recently great delay and expense ha ve been caused to the ships owing to the fact that the meat, has been delivered alongside in a condition that rendered it almost impossible to deliver the produce in a thoroughly satisfactory condition at the other end."

In a letter to the Hon. W. Hall-Jones, and following lip the telegram, tho freezing company writes:—"Wo wish to point out that the non-delivery of stock is causing the greatest dissatisfaction amongst our men, causing a great deal of broken time, and being responsible in a. measure for the demands for higher wages and pay for waiting time. You will agree that it is not very fair lo the company that it. should bo penalised for tho inadequacy of your department' s rolling stock, over which we have no control. We aJso have io state that spaco hooked for the Home-going steamers bv us is not being filled for the same reason, and we are in consequence getting into lad odour with the shipping companies owing to Ihe manner in which we are humbugging them by not. fulfilling our engagements. We, sincerely trust that you will be. able to make adequate arrangements without. delay for tho propeV conveyance of freezing stock to our works." Mr 11. Stringer, secretary to the company, in conversation with a. Herald reporter, said: "This not only means very serious loss lo us and to the shipping company, but also to the farmers, because when no trucks are available the farmer must, go on keeping' his freezer lambs up to condition, and lie is therefore forced to keep his storo lambs olf the pastures. Were trucks available Ihe freezers would bo ucspatolicd immediately, and stores rushed on, and tho supnly kept up. Wo will havo a shortage of *3,000 lambs this season owing to want, of trucks." ,