THE RAILWAY "CUT"

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 269, 9 August 1919, Page 8

THE RAILWAY "CUT"

CONDITIONS IN THE WAIRARAPA VIEWS OF PROMINENT RESIDENTS By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent. Mastcrtan, August 8. Wairarapa residents have always had two grievances against tho Railway Department, tho first .is tho Kimutaka incline, which is considered an expensive and vastly inefficient means of railway communication, and tho second is tho fact that tho district is too poorly 6upuliod with branch lines. Probably no other part of iS T ew Zealand with the same area of agricultural and pastoral country is so badly in need of being opened up by means of railway routes. The present crisis has accentuated tho disadvantages in many outlying'parts, while others are completely cut off from the outside world, except through the medium of a tedious journey by road. With a view to obtaining information of the conditions in such isolated towns as Martinborough and Greytown, a Dominion representative secured tho following interviews :—

Owing to its isolated situation Greytown and the surrounding district have been particularly hard hit by the present railway restrictions.- Mr. J. F. Thompson, chairman of the Greytown Chamber of Commeroe, said that even from tho beginning of the war they had i had to put up with great, disabilities. Their branch service was completely suspended at a very early period. Offers were mado to the Department to supply men and fuel to run the branch lino, but only a partial service was the result. Tho latest restrictions Had completely isolated tho Greytown district,. as the whole of the services on tho brancn line were now discontinued. Tho effect was that all goods had to be landed at a station on the main lino and carted to Greytowu. Goods were landed at ono of tlireo sido stations—Woodside, where a railway official kept an cyo on them but accepted no responsibility-, at Matarawa, where there was no railway official and no station, merely a small waiting-shed; or at Carterton, six miles away by road. If goods landed at Matarawa did not exoeed threequarters of a hundredweight they were oarried to Greytown by mail coach; otherwise they were stored in an opeii waiting-shed—which had no door—or left on (he platform. Consignees never knew at which of the three stations their goods would be landed. The cost of haulage by road, whien was very heavy, had often to be borne by tho consignees, who represented a community of only wm people. Even two goods trains por weok would avoid the increase in tho cost of living which 1 had been brought about, und the fuel required would not amount to more than fcwt. per week. Tho farming community was a very heavy sufferer, and would suffer more heavily in a week or two. The Greytown Dairy Company had had building operations suspended by reason of the necessary materials being held up, and would be faced with the position of starting a season with a large number of increasod suppliers without plant to accommodate them. The fruit season was rapidly approaching- and fruitgrowers were concerned foi the future prospect of transport of perishable goods. Largo quantities of fruit of all kinds were loaded at Greytown, and if the restricted service lasted till the fruit supplies come forward very serious financial loss would bo involved. The returned soldiers on settlements in the district were also very seriously inconvenienced at tho outset of !,hcir farming caret's by the train curtailment. Jlr. W. A. Hutton, Mayor of Greytown, (substantiated Air. Thompson's statements, and added that the borough works had tiecn materially affected. Tho council now had to pay Gs. per ton to haul coal from W°odsido station, and this had resulted in a substantial increase in tho price of gas.

Mr. Maurice B. Smith, chairman of tho Martiuborougk Town Board, considered that his district was in a very serious position. Like Qreytown, Martinborough was some distance irom the railway, and the disabilities of tho former town ih regard to the carriago of goods were being felt in the latter. In Martinborough, however, the position was accentuated by tho fact that it was further away from the railway than Greytown, consignments having to be railed to Featherston, and thence transported by road—there was no branch line—to their destination. Lack of iron, cement, and other builders' requirements was holding up the build* ing trade-, and unemployment was steadily increasing. Farmers could not obtain a sufficient supply of seeds, manure, etc ; , which were urgently needed. In addition, the coal outlook was such that it was feared that there would bo no fuel with which to keep the dairy factories going when they began operations. A sawmillor had informed Mr. Smith that unless his accumulated stock of timber could be carried to the market ho vould have to eloso down. v '

SOUTHLAND ROADS SUFFERING DAMAGE. Br Telegraph—Press Association. Invorcargill August 8. • The Southland County Council baa sent ii telegram to the" Prime Minister and the Minister of Railways stating that owing to the Tailway restrictions it is impossible to get materials carried to keep the roads in repair, and they aro getting into a had state owing to the increased road traffic duo to the railways cut. There was plenty o£ local t:t.nl and the council considered tho Department was not dealing with the position in a satisfactory manner. Members exDressed themselves strongly regarding tho Miitf.tcr's reply as to the reasons for carrying beer.