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Hokitika Guardian, 9 February 1924, Page 2

IVi K.x the members of the Groymouvh Harbour Board were considering tbe possible—or should we sav probable—effects on the tonnage entering the port, one of the members gave his views on the eoal trade. Hi.s suggestion that the time would arrive when ships would bunker at Lyttelton was received with laughter! But such an idea is not a humorous one. It has all the essentials which go to make a definite fact. Fur instance, ships which bunker at Well ngton with Oreymouth coal must find the supply far more costly than if t.ke supply were drawn from Lyttelton. M lien the coal is shipped from Greymouth, it lias to be loaded into bottoms and sent bv sea to Wellington, '■•here generally it is loaded into Hulks. At bunkering time the hulks are towed to the ships .side and then unloaded. That is a round about process which will be shortened greatly when tbe bunker coal is sent direct from the coalmine to Lyttelton, and there it is tipped straight into the ships' bunkers. The dual handling into the hulk, and out of the hulk is saved, a.s also, a good deal of transport time, and the upkeep of the hulks and staff to care for the stored coal. The railway will take time to demonstrate its manifested ad vantages, but necessity and enterprise "ill soon disclose many ways by which the through service is going to he of great advantage in fostering trade. It is necessary for the railway authorities to be alert and on the look out for trade. It is not sufficient to frame a tariff and await development. The trading side of the railway staff requires to be an agency in being bent upon doing the best it can for the State service it was created to help.

Wmr.K on the subject of the railways, and particularly the East and West Coast service, it will not be out of place to refer to another aspect of the matter, now that .attention is being

called to phases in which public interest should ho shown. There is the name of the overland service. This seems to ho described ns the Christ-ciiurch-Greyrnouth service. This is misleading, to many people. It is the Midland service pure and simple. That was the name it. was known by from both ends for years, and to change now to a name which does not cover the full extent of the service is often the cause of confusion in the minds of the public making their way to the Coast for the fi-.-t time. It is not unreasonable to ask that the line he given the name it is best known hv and one which will not create any confusion in the minds of tlie travelling public.