The Southland Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Ura. FRIDAY, MARCH 28. 1913. SOUTHLAND’S RAILWAY NEEDS.

Southland Times, Issue 17304, 28 March 1913, Page 4

The Southland Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Ura. FRIDAY, MARCH 28. 1913. SOUTHLAND’S RAILWAY NEEDS.

The remarks made by Mr E. Dobbie to the gathering of railway officers on Wednesday would be read with a great deal of interest, particularly by members of the Chamber of Commerce and the Importers’ Association, who have been endeavouring for years past to obtain increased facilities for the handling of goods in the Invercargill railway yard. Nearly every year at periods of pressure the shortage of trucks becomes acute, and should two or three steamers arrive at Bluff together congestion in the goods shed causes the greatest inconvenience to merchants and retailers. The figures given by Mr Dobbie seem to show that this recurring trouble is due largely to the fact that the capacity of the railway yard at Invercargill has not been extended at an equal pace with the business of the district. In so short a space of time as four years, the number of vehicles handled at Invercargill increased by 17,000, and the quantity of merchandise by 49,000 tons. The volume of business has practically doubled itself in ten years, and with greater authority than most, Mr Dobbie gave expression to an opinion which is widely held when he said that the Southland section contributes very materially to the profits earned by the railway lines in . the South Island. The urgently required additions to the goods shed and the railway yard have been long delayed, but it is satisfactory to know that conditions will be considerably improved in the near future. The construction of a large and up-to-date goods shed has been authorised, and so soon as the necessary materials come to hand, the District Engineer will begin upon the work and push it

to completion. When the scheme o£ Improvements has been carried out, Invercargill will have a commodious goods shed, equipped with modern appliances, and a railway yard affording greater facilities for the handling of rolling stock. The remarks mad* by the railway officers show, however, that the improvements have been too long delayed, and that much of the Inconvenience which has been felt so seriously by the business community could have been avoided. We do not know what has induced Mr Dobble to conclude that the only people who are pessimistic with regard to the future of Southland are the Southlanders themselves. That there are pessimists in the community is no doubt true, but we think it can be claimed that the majority of Southlanders have the fullest confidence la the future of the district. Its reputation in other parts of the Dominion is

now deservedly high, but we doubt whether Its value as a field for enterprise is estimated more highly anywhere than In Southland itself.