Refusal to Carry Machinery on Steamer Stirs Council to Action

Lake County Mail, Issue 44, 7 April 1948, Page 1

Refusal to Carry Machinery on Steamer Stirs Council to Action

Having received unfavourable replies from the New Zealand Railways in response to requests to have machinery on the s.s. Earnslaw put in order so that the heavy grader can again be transported to the head of the lake, the Lake County Council, at their meeting last week, decided to make personal representations to the Minister. Machinery in question had been handled by existing lifting facilities before, said Mr D. H. Cockburn, and if they cannot handle it now, then it must have deteriorated. In that case it should be renewed, he added. Mr Cockburn and Cr Aubrey were nominated to present the case to the Minister. “ Investigations revealed that the strengthening of the lifting facilities and the provision of special equipment * on the s.s. • Earnslaw for heavy lifts would prove somewhat costly,” stated a letter from the district mechanical engineer of the New Zealand Government Railways in a letter received at last week’s meeting of the Lake County Council. “In addition, rigging of the special gear for each occasion that the heavy lifts are made, would take time and the gear would require dismantling again for the handling of ordinary cargo.” The letter said that unless these lifts Avere ' handled by special steamer, the Avorking of ordinary cargo would be interfered with. The matter had been referred to the general manager, it ' added. •They suggested that the council’s smaller grader, Aveighing about four tons be used on work around the lake as it could be handled with existing gear. ’