CHRISTCHURCH-LYTTELTON WANTS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 14, 11 October 1919, Page 9

CHRISTCHURCH-LYTTELTON WANTS

SHORTAGE OF TRUCKS AND DUPLICATION OF RAILWAY LINE. Speaking to a Dominion reporter yesteroay, Mr. H. Holland, ex-Mayor of Christchurch, who is visiting Wellington in connection with a meeting of tho War Funds Council, mentioned that Mr. Sorenson (chairman of tho Lyttelton Hurbour Board), Mr. Cyrus Williams (engineer), would" arrive from tho south this morning, nnd with Dr. Thacker. Mr. li. Moore, and himself were to wait upon the Minister of Railways in respect to at least two extremely important and urgent questions vitally affecting the interests of Christchurch and its port. Ono question was the contiuned shortage of trucks. }t became so bad at times that tho shipping was held up, and more expense than Was necessary resulted. ■ They had wharves hb Lyttellton with no fewer than six railway tracks, but no sheds m which to store tho cargo. The cargo sorvice of tho port depended on the railfray service—upon having enough trucks on hand to take all tho cargo without any delay. "I think," said Mr. Holland, "that tlio Department, in not providing sneds, studies economy at the sacrifice of efficiency. By that I mean that they wait until thero are about one hundred trucks beforo they put on.a powerful engine to draw the big load to Christchurch. Then there Is a blockago at Christchurch. as they cannot handle a hundred (fucks of cargo expeditiously, Tho trucks aro kept there an undue length of time, and therefore prevented from being used again at Lyttelton as quickly as they might be. If instead of waiting for so many trucks, a fewer number wero hauled through to .Christoliurch nioro frequently by lighter csjiues, better results would bo achieved." The deputation was also to urgo upon tlio Government, the immediate prosecution of the work of duplicating and electrifying the line througlj the tunnel. "Can you imagine," said Mr. Holland, "a big city like Christchurch being solely dependent for its communication with its' port on a singlo track ?"