DELAYED IN TRANSIT.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 86, 12 April 1911, Page 3

DELAYED IN TRANSIT.

.COMPLAINT AGAINST RAILAVAY j DEPARTMENT. ; fSY TELEGRAPH — SHKJIAX. TO THE POST.] AUCKLAND, This Day. The Main Trunk line, is playing an important part in opening up markets for early produce. Merchants- in the Southern provinces are competing with the Auckland merchants for the various lines, and this has created a good strong demand, which, is sure to grow rapidly as the quality of the goods become better known. The Railway Department, however, according to a correspondent of the Herald, does not seem to have made any preparations to handle the consignments expeditiously, and serious delays are frequently reported, and as early produce, especially new potatoes, must be put into immediate consumption, the quality suffers considerably on this account. One farmer complains that a consignment of 54 bags of potatoes which he sent f 10m Buckland (a flag station) to New Plymouth on 6th February lover eight weeks ago) is still wandering about the railways somewhere or else been. stolen during transit. He has mad© a claim throngh the merchant for whom he shipped, but the department states tnat it does not accept responsibility for any goods loaded at a flag station. The consignor, therefore, has no claim, aJthough he offered to get sworn, declarations signed By those v.'ho assisted him to load the potatoes.