MUNGAROA MILK SUPPLY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 913, 5 September 1910, Page 8

MUNGAROA MILK SUPPLY.

BETTER RAIL FACILITIES ASKED. A deputation of milkmen from tho Mungaroa ; district: was introduced 'to the Mihister'for Railways ' i(Hdh. J. A. Millar)'on- Saturday morning by. Mr. T. /_M.;Wilford, M.P. .The deputation pointed out: the difficulties, under .which they laboured iii the.matter, of; getting their milk into the city quickly, in the past it had been the practice to' run.a triickup to'Miihgaroa and leave it there to be loa.ded and then have it brought baek to the Upper 1 Hutt- and, 'hooked oil to the evening, train, from the Wadrarapa for Wellington. , This system had been done away' with some months ago. The deputation. asked if the Minister could see his Avay.to. revive the practice fortho"rush:season. The' train frequently had to stop ; to pick- up. passengers; and it/would only be a matter.'of;three minutes to pick up the -milk and save milkmen th<i long drives over the ranges 'which now took up sd much of their- time, - actually prompted sonie farmers.to give: tip milking altogether. /In the summer season, when 600 or 700 gallons a day were sent to town, it was'urged thai the proposition would;be a pavablo one 'for the .'Departrnent. The : milkmen on.<i the public who used the.milk were entitled to consideration. If any loss was entailed--by-the stop, the deputation thought the. settlers would willingly make up any deficiency. . The, Minister said ! the question had been threshed/out before. He was willing to assist the settlers if he could as long as] it would not cost too much. It .seemed a simple request ■to say stop forthe Mungaroa milk,/but if the request was granted every other place on the lino would come in with a like re-' quest, and the result, would be to make the passenger train an ordinary'goods train. It was impossible for a passenger train to stop at every station and pick np milk. The other day ho had stopped tho milk train to To Aro, which train had been earning 2s. a day and costing 10s. Th<* retail suppliers were now willing to pay a freight whioh would.make the train.pay, and this being so, the Department would meet them. Ho would look into the request of the deputation, and sec how it would be likely to affect the other places on the line. If only a three-minute stop at Mungaroa was necessary the difficulty could perhaps be got over. Tire Department did not want to ask'anything unreasonable, but in looking into the matter ho must keep in mind the offer of the deputation .to. meet any. serious loss on the working of the scliemo.