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Hokitika Guardian, 24 February 1930, Page 4

Among the matters affecting, the operations of the railway in respect to Westland, referred to at last week’s meeting of the Westland Progress League, was a; revival of the question of cheap back freights for stock fodder in the winter season. This is not a new subject by any means, but its district importance justifies the question being raised again in tbe hope that something practical will result. The rainy seasons on the Coast preclude very often the growth of sufficient food for stock over the winter. It is manifest if more feed were assured all round the year, more stock would be kept. This applies specially to dairying and stock raising. If this development were to take place it would mean an expansion of the pastoral industry, and the greater output in produce mu' stock would be of general value to the Dominion. With a railway line in being, and tapping an agricultural disti : et where there are great quantities of waste feed sent up in smoke year by year, it does seem strange that there is not any co-ordinated effort to transport that waste to a market where it would be of use. Year by year hay is destroyed because of the lack of a market, yet such a commodity converted into cow chaff would find a market on the Coast, if a special transport rate were available. Time and again we hear of tbe Railway Department cutting freight rates where the railways are in competition with motor traffic. The other, day in the North Island, a considerable cut was made to dairy farmers because of motor lorries cutting into traffic which bad hitherto been railway freight. No doubt there was wisdom in seeing that the railway line established and in operation should retain its business. In connection with the Westland railway trade, there are daily 1 oh pc strings of empty trucks returning to the Const, and it should he the desire of tbe Department to see those vehicles used and earning revenue—which we are led to believe tbe railways need so urgently. The proposal to simply elienn fod 'or transport at certain times of tbe year to save Canterbury nroduce from waste, return revenue to the railways, and assist in building no tbe flocks and herds of Westland, .should be of sufficient merit to secure the close attention of the Railways Trading Department. A visit of investigation and a consultation with the farmers to d'seuss the use which would lie made of the concession suggested, should be well worth while in tbe national interests. Tbe possibility of arranging the matter is beyond question, as the existing tactors provide for it, and it only remains for

an investigation, when there should be encouragement to put the proposal into practice.