TUAKAU’S TRUCKING FACILITIES.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 622, 8 April 1921, Page 5

TUAKAU’S TRUCKING FACILITIES.

LIGHTS WANTED AT LOADING

BANK. AN ABSOLUTE NECESSITY. A BUSYCENTRE. The absolute necessity of urging upon the Railway Department to erect suitable lights at the Tuakau railway station loading bank was advocated by Mr J. B. Sim at Tuesday’s meeting of the Tuakau Town Board. Mr Sim stated that for some time past stockmen had approached him regarding the matter of asking the Board to take steps to have lights erected at the stock loading bank. At the present time the station was a very busy centre, as thousands of head of stock were exported and imported day after day. These had to be loaded and unloaded at night and it was a very difficult and; dangerous job in the dark. Several demands had been made for lights, but the department had turned a deaf ear to them. Numbers of accidents had taken place, in fact some time ago one man was killed. Tuakau was one of the best stations in the North Island as far as trucking away stock was concerned. Truck after truck load went away night after night. Lights at the bank were absolutely necessary.

The chairman said that stockowners had mentioned the matter to him. He reminded members that for the benefit of stock breeders special stock trains were run during the night and consequently loading took place all through the night. The facilities were not enough as more cattle were trucked at Tuakau than at any place between Auckland and Frankton. Mr Sim: The facilities are rotten.

The chairman said the yarding accommodation was totally inadequate. Something - would have to be done to assist the truckers in getting a light erected.

Eventually Mr Sim moved that the clerk communicate with the district engineer of New Zealand Railways urging upon him the necessity of having lamps erected at the loading hank. He was instructed to point out that the work was of a very dangerous nature unless lights were provided.—Carried.