SLOW RAILWAY TRAFFIC.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 470, 31 March 1909, Page 5

SLOW RAILWAY TRAFFIC.

MAIN TRUNK TROUBLES. The vagaries of the railway service somewhere, between Otorohanga, in the Auckland district, _ and Palmerston North, have lately caused inconveuience to many farmers on-the'Main Trunk ' line. From specific cases, which have been brought under the notice of our, travelling representative, it appears that there are. complaints of a lack of. promptitude in tho forwarding of consignments of goods from Manawatu to several stations along the railway line leading toward Auckland. The goods referred to comprise farm requisites, and through their non-arrival at their destination, near the expected time, farmers, and also merchants, are said to-have incurred considerable loss. There are instances in which it is alleged that consignments have been from seven days to a fortnight on tho road between Palmerston North-'and-Otorohanga. It is complained that goods consigned to Ongarue wore run ■ on to other stations and never troubled after by. the railway officials, and that in other cases, portion of consignments have been lost. These troubles are extremely harassing to farmers, and delays in transportation are a severe tax on the enterprise of those Wellington district merchants who are pushing their business into the Auckland. province. Anion* farmers who have suffered through the methods of the railway service, are Messrs D. Scott, Taumarunui; A. Fletcher, Oncame; W. E. Daly, Te Kuiti; James Horsman, and C. Cater, Otorohanga; and Thomas Bros., Te Kuiti. '