A CART WHARF.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13558, 31 March 1908, Page 4

A CART WHARF.

We are afraid that the coi respondent, who this morning undertakes the defence ot the Railway Department is not fully conversant with his subject. If, his scheme for wharf and cart sheds weie otherwise practicable, we have very little doubl. that it would be vetoed at the outset by the Railway Department, which finds the working "of the'wharves too profitable ,to Jet slip". We do not know that the. Department hn* ever been asked to shdre the haulage of cargo , over 1 the Timaru wharves with carters, but instances have occurred in other poits where it has refused to admit any competition of this nature, and we daresay its attitude would be- the same heie. ,However, it would be easy enough to make sure'about thei point, if a few importers were to ask the Harbour Board to cany out our correspondent's suggestion, which' would certainly be of considerate convenience to - business peoplp in Timaru, though ,we nre doubtful whether it would suit -the district generally. Imports intended for the country districts must be handled by the railway, and' as it would hardly be pos- ■ Bible to combine a cart and 'a ( railage wharf a steamer carrying a mixed'cargo would have to shift her berth if her Timaru cargo were 'to be dischaiged into sheds, on a cart wharf, and her country cargo'into tiucks at another part of the harbour. The shipping companies, would never agree to that, and'-therefoie ue cannot see .much prospect of the railway's monopoly being interfered with.