The Globe. THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 1877.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 933, 21 June 1877, Page 2

The Globe. THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 1877.

Titere is one point in the speech delivered by the Hon. E. Kichardson on Friday last which is worthy of consideration by farmers and others interested in the export of grain. During the whole of the season there has been, owing to the great pressure upon the carrying resources of the railway, great dissatisfaction with the way in which grain has been brought in from the country. The Government have been blamed —and in some instances justly —for not having utilised their resources in the matter of rolling stock to the best advantage. But as put by Mr. Eichardson, the other aspect of the question is also worth consideration. He says : I want the people to understand this—and I should like what I am saying now to go fovth and be studied not only by the people of Christchurch only, but also by the farmers and those having an interest in produce throughout the country —that I am perfectly satisfied no Government, and if the Government were so inclined the people of this colony would not allow them, will spend money to build sheds and to increase the rolling stock on these railways to be used only for some four months of the year, and to stand idle all the rest. lam perfectly satisfied that the people who farm land here must realise the fact that they must do something to cover their grain and put up proper storage, if they want storage. The railway should be a carrying machine, and nothing else. Now there is a good deal of truth in these words. The farmers of Canterbury, as a rule, are too much apt to 'look upon the Government as bound to provide storage for their grain. The consequence of this is, that in nine cases out of ten so soon as the grain is threshed it is carted off to the railway station, where —whether there is accommodation or not —it has perforce to remain. Now when we consider the limited space at the disposal of the station-masters at the country stations, and the inability of the railway authorities, however desirous, to overtake the work, the necessity of our farming friends seriously considering Mr. Richardson's suggestions becomes apparent. The fact is, that the traffic has so enormously increased that extraordinary efforts would have to be made to keep pace with it, always supposing that it is considered to be the duty of the "Government to store the grain of all who like to pour it into the various stations. But is this so ? Mr. Eichardson thinks not; and to a certain extent we agree him. We cannot for one moment see that it is the duty of the Government to erect extensive and costly sheds at the country stations merely to be used during the grain season, and to remain idle during the remainder of the year. This would be manifestly wrong; but what the Government should do —and this is what we have always urged upon them —is to use to the greatest possible advantage the trucks they have, instead of sending a string of empties past stations where grain is waiting for transit. But there can be no doubt of this, that farmers here as elsewhere will have to face the necessity of erecting stores for themselves, in which to place their grain until railway transit can be obtained. This recognised, and the _ difficulty which haft been the cause of so much trouble will cease. The railway will be enabled to store just so much as they can manage, and we shall hear no more of long strings of trucks left out in the weather, and consequently exposed to damage. But if the farmers have a duty to perform, so have the Government. Mr. Eichardson said rightly when he remarked that the railway was only a carrying machine, but the public have a right to ask that this should be made as perfect as possible. When the trouble of having to provide storage for all the grain of the district, which it is manifestly impossible can be carried by the railway under a lengthened period, has been removed, it will be the duty of the Government to see that their carrying arrangements are made as perfect as it is possible. Until, however, _ both parties are brought to see what is respectively their duty, we shall never get rid of the trouble and complaints which hare been so rife during the past few months.