RAILWAY STORAGE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 956, 25 October 1910, Page 6

RAILWAY STORAGE.

SHORTAGE OF TIMBER SPACE. DEPUTATION TO THE HON. J. A. ! .. . MILLAR, A deputation representing tho Wellington limber Merchants' Association waited on the Minister for Railways (the Hon. J. A. Millar) yesterday afternoon in regard to the accommodation for timber at the Thorndou Railway Station. Mr. Hopkirk remarked that it had been found latterly that timber had beon put into a space which was too small to allow of this bulky article being properly handled. It was found to be quite impossible to tako the timber away In the prescribed time, but this did not prevent ..merchants being mulcted in penalties for not getting it away. Tho position, he said, was much better when timber was taken to Lambton Station. Now they had been told that they must tako all timber from Thorndou. He hoped that the Minister would order that timber should be taken to Lambton, where there was .more room. ' Mr. Clark thought descrctionary power should be given the goods agents in imposing fines in cases where there was a rush of timber, and those to whom it was" consigned did their best to get it away. In some cases. Wairarapa timber came to Lambton Station, and had to be carted back: to Thorndon. He also suggested that timber might bo taken right oh .to 'Te Aro.' . The Minister: "There is not the slightest chance of that I can assure you." Mr. Hopkirk pointed out that there would be no objection to paying storage at Lambton. The Minister promised to have inquiry made into the matter. It was as well to inform the deputation that as soon as the reclamation works were completed, and the new .station erected, practically the whole of the goods traffic would go to Thorndon, leaving Lambton almost entirely a passenger station. Mr. Hopkirk said the deputation had no fault to find with Thorndon site, but with the accommodation. Continuing, the. Minister said he had not had time to look into the points brought forward by the deputation, but he had just received a memorandum, on the subject from the Department, and he would discuss the matter with them. \He desired to give every facility to the timber merchants. The only possible' way to cope with the traffic was to get rapid discharge assoon as goods came in. The whole of tho goods yards were being reorganised at present, as there was no need for two staffs to work one Department. ,He did not think there was a possible'chance of timber being carried on to Te.Aro. It.would not suit the railways or the people to run a large goods traflio over this line, which traversed i a business part of' the city. If it,did come about, a very different method would have to be adopted. That was the overhead system. This would be. very expensive, and he was quite satisfied that the traffic would not justify it for very many yearsto'come. A couple of trains on the Te Aro line which had been making-a' loss, ' Had been knocked off. _ In fact, the only trains which were paying on the dine were ,tho morning train, which took ■ the workers away, and the : evening train which brought them back. . He would -advise the deputation later to the result of his inquiries into, their grievance. , '