GREAT CHANCES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIII, Issue 14, 14 May 1912, Page 4

GREAT CHANCES.

PEXIJJXG IN RAILWAYS.

(Per Press Association.)

Christchurch, May 13. A deputation from representatives of shipowners waited on the Hon. A. Myers, Minister for Railways, to complain re shortage of trucks at Lyttelton, and the consequent delay in getting ships unloaded. The Minister, in reply, said that it was rather painful for him to listen to what had been said. He fully sympathised with the speakers. He, for one, would not be a party to any policy which produced such apparently unsatisfactory results as were disclosed. It was quite apparent to him that the difficulty would have to be rectified. The deputation were there as serious business men, intent on pushing their business, ’and the Railway Department, on their part, had a duty to perform to see that business was expedited as much as possible. It was quite apparent to him that, owing to the growing traffic, the railway facilities would have to be improved, so far as Lyttelton was r concerned. It was intended to appoint two traffic superintendents, one tor the North Island and one for the •heutli Island. That would lie done very slim tly, and one of the first duties of tne South Island superintendent would be to make an exhaustive report as to the position of affairs at Lyttelton, for it was quite clear that the present position was an untenable one from both pouts of view—-the shipowners’ and the Department’s. He had already mentioned a programme for building extra trucks, hut, if the number originally fixed should have to he doubled or trebled, fie was prepared to make a recommendation to that effect. If anything, m wanted to he a little ahead of the traffic witli rolling stock, not behind