ADDINGTON YARDS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10769, 15 May 1913, Page 4

ADDINGTON YARDS.

IMPROVEMENTS URGED. COMPLAINTS OF INSUFFICIENT RAILWAY FACILITIES. Ever sineo tho Addington market das assumed metropolitan proportions, now manv years ago, there have been occasional complaints regarding exasperating and, apparently, unnecessary delays in'tho transport of slock to and from the yards, and of the insufficiency of tho 'accommodation provided by tho Railway Department for the. trucking outwards of stock at tho close of tho weekly sales. Frequently these complaints have been brought under the notice of the Department, but so far without resulting in the cause of tho complaint being removed. Only a few d-'vs ago a deputation waited on tho Minister of Railways (the Hon W. H. HaitK'O to urge that an engino should bo provided to attend to shunting operations on sale days, the members of the deputation pointing out that, owing to the engine being frequently utilised for other purposes, considerable delay in dealing with tho enormous number of stock consigned from Addington often resulted, thus entailing great loss and vexation to stork-owners. Yesterday a deputation, consisting of representatives of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and tho New Zealand Farmers Union, waited on the members of the Canterbury Saleyards Company for the. purpose of bringing under tho notice of tho company tho urgent necessity of something being done to facilitate the transport of stock from the yards. GRIEVANCE AGAINST THE RAILWAY DEPARTMENT. Mr George Sheat, president of the Farmers' Union, said there was no doubt that stock-owners had a genuine prievanco regarding the delays which frequently occurred, hut, he added, in a very great measure that grievance was against the Railways Department, and not against the Saleyards Company. The Society for the. Prevention of Cruelty to Animals had asked for the co-operation of the Farmers' Union, and, although he did not subscribe to all the tenets of the Society, he felt that in protesting against the dilatory ways of the Railway Department it was on'suro ground, as undoubtedly there was good cause for complaint. Mr Sheat suggested that in order to facilitate moving sheep and other itfock to the side of the railway a double race should be constructed through the sheep-pens, and that the Department should erect two additional loading hanks. Ho had paid close attention to loading operations at the yards, and he knew that it not infrequently happened that it was necessary for out-ward-bound stock to wait for considerable periods until access could be gained to the railways, other mobs of sheep being in the way. At present, said Mr Sheat, the avenues were nearly always in a congested state, but he felt sure that were the improvements which he suggested carried out tho work of trucking would be greatly facilitated. Unquestionably, the. Railway Department should place a shunting engine solely at the disposal of "those engaged in trucking operations on sale day, and every endeavour should be made to have sheep and othe* s/took trucked to farmers, as it was vvell known to ■ all stockmen that tho delays which now took place served to seriously depreciate the value of the animals. DELAYS IN DELIVERY. Mr W. H. Zouch read two letters which he had received, complaining of the delays which very often took place between tho time sheep and other stock were sold and their arrival at their destination. One writer mentioned that, although the stock had been sold on Wednesday, it was not till the following afternoon that they were trucked, wliile it was not till Saturday that they arrived at their destination at Oamafu. Mr Zouch said that the absenco of a shunting engine, or its frequent call elsewhere, was responsible for much of the delay which took place, and he urged that the consequent detention of stock in the yards subjected the animals to unnecessary suffering. Much could bo done to alleviate the position, and he strongly urged that representations should bo made to the Department for the tise of a shunting engine for saleyards' business and for the erection of several additional loading banks.

STABILITY OF TENURE WANTED | BY THE COMPANY. I Mr E. G. Staveley, chairman of the Saleyards Company, said he and his colleagues were very pleased indeed to meet the deputation and to hear their views and to receive suggestions. Regarding the urgent need for the exclusive services of a shunting engine on jsale day, the matter had been brought I under the notice of the Minister recently, and although the Hon W. Herries had not given a definite promise on the point, he (Mr Staveley) thought there was every prospect of the request heing granted. The complaints which 1 had been brought forward" by the joint deputation were mainly against the Railway Department, but he quite agreed there was room for improvement in other directions. However, they I would recognise that at the present ■ juncture the Saleyards Company was in ; a peculiar position. The company was desirous of meeting patrons in every ; way, and a number of. .substantial and I costly improvements had been project- ' ed. but, owing to the uncertainty exI istmg at the present juncture regard|ing the future of the yards, he was | doubtful if the directors would be justified in incurring heavy expenditure. .As they were aware, continued Mr Staveley, the local body which now controlled the district threatened to put serious impediments in tho_ way, impediments which might result in depriving the yards of their metropolitan character, necessitating their removal, and the natural result was that the company hesitated to incur any unnecessary expenditure. Given stability of tenure, however, the position would be entirely changed. The Addington Yards had" now been in existence for fifty years, and he considered it would be very unwise to do anything that would "detract from their importance. The recurring agitation for the removal of the yards had led to much unrest, but he "honed those entrusted with the guidance of local affairs would exercise their nowors wisely and not jeopardise ' on 0 of the most extensive concerns in I the dominion. While the company al- ! wave desired to cater for the public, at | the present juncture it was necessary ;to consider the. shareholders, but he I promised that, given some reasonable ' securitv of tenure, the company would i willingly take any necessary steps to improve the conditions of the yards.

WOULD A PETITION BE OF USE? Mr Sheat asked if a petition from the farmers doing business at the Addington Yards would serve the purpose of impressing upon the members of the Borough Council the undesirability of removing the market. If such a petition were likely to have any effect in the direction indicated, a monster one could easily be secured, as farmers were practically unanimously of opinion that the removal of the yards would be a disastrous step. . . Sir Staveley said such a testimonial from the farmers would be very gratifying, but he doubted whether it would have anv beneficial effect. Mr Witty said that probably were such a nctition circulated a countermemoria'l would be at once promoted. Mr Sheat said he strongly sympathised with the directors in the present position, and expressed a hope that nothing Avould bo done by the local Boron ch" Council to harass the company or those doing business at the yards. REQUEST TO BE PLACED BEFORE DIRECTORS. Mr Stavelev said the representations of'the deoutaiion would be placed before the directors, and lie could assure them that everything in reason would be done to meet the wishes of those who did business at the yards. Mr Sheat thanked Mr Staveley for the courtrsv extended to the deputation and for the alr.erity with which he had unclovtakcn to meet its wishes.