EAST TOWN SHOPS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 72, Issue 96, 23 April 1929, Page 11

EAST TOWN SHOPS

GOVERNMENT’S PROPOSALS PRIME MINISTER'S INTIMATION The curtailment of work at the Eust Town railway workshops has loomed prominently in the public mind of late, and representations on the matter were made to the Prime Alimster (Sir Joseph Ward) and the Alinister of Railways (the Hon. W. B. Taverner) by Air J. T. Hogan, AI.P. -Sir Joseph Ward has replied, detailing the G <vi irmciit's uiii'.'.ttions with regard to future activities at East Town.

“Quite a substantial quantity of walk will still be performed at East Town.” the Prime Minister’s letter states. “Indeed, it is the intention to L.'.. : lise the buildings there to their full ■.‘apacity. ILc work that it is intended to do at East Town covers light repaus to locomotives, general repairs to •vagu.is, lii’i’iig and emergency repa'rs to cars and vans, manufacture of pouits and ciessings lor the who.e of New Zealand and the manufacture and icpahing of tarpauliiib for the No n th 1-Janu. In audition to ’be above, Eist Town will also supply urgent requirements for both car and wagon and locomotive depots on th? Wanganui, Palmerston North and Taihape sections. “The essential change that is being brought about by the re-organisation

scheme is that the heavier class of repairs to locomotive and boilers will be diverted to the Hutt works ami the

heavier work to cars, vans and wagons to Otahuhu. Both these shops have been equipped with up-to-date machinery so that they can cope with the heavy work referred to. This machinery is expensive and requires to be worked to its maximum capacity in order that the full economies of its installation might be obtained.

' “It is economically out of the question to duplicate it as there is not ! enough work in either Island to keep more than one set of the heavy machinery occupied. This is the principle on which the centralisation of the heavy work has taken place. The withdrawal of the heavy locomotive and car work from East Town has enabled the points and crossings work to be concentrated there, and has obviated the necessity of the erection of a now building for this work. Hitherto a very substantial portion of the work carried out at East Town has been performed iii the open as there was not sufficient accommodation in the shops to accommodate all that required to be done tircre. This was not good practice from any point of view and the re-ar- | rangement of the work wil] enable this to bo avoided. | “As above indicated sufficient work will bp retained at East Town to enable the present shop buildings to be used to the limit of their capacity.” . . ....