CARRIAGE OF COAL

Otago Witness, Issue 4029, 2 June 1931, Page 4

CARRIAGE OF COAL

LOSSES IN TRANSIT DEPUTATION TO MINISTER. INVERCARGILL, May 26. .The assertion that the railway regulations were leading to a loss of coal in transit and a request for the abolition of the minimum freight rate were made by a deputation consisting of Air T. A. Nicholson, representing the Linton Coal Company, and Air G. H. Tinker, representing the Southland Coal Owners’ Association, to the Alinister of Railways (Air W. A. Veitch) this morning. Mr Veitch promised to go into the matter but said that it was impossible for his department to consider any reduction in freight charges at the present time. Coal had to be loaded high on trucks. Air Nicholson said, and in some cases up to half a ton was: shaken off the trucks before they reached their destination. What was wanted was the cancellation of the minimum weight regulation so that the tracks could be loaded to their proper capacity and the amount loaded paid for. Air Tinker said that some classes of eoal did not cause any trouble, but others shook off easily and merchants were complaining that they did not receive the amount of coal they were paying for and upon which they were paying freight. A truck might be loaded with six tons of coal, but when it reached its destination the load might be reduced to five and a-half tons and a merchant had to pay for six tons and pay for freight on half a ton of coal he did not receive. “ We do not have much difficulty because our coal is lumpy and can be built up around the sides of the truck,” said Mr Tinker, “ but the Ohai mines have t(T blast a great deal of their coal and they have no lumps to build around the sides.” Air Veitch : How do you find the condition of the trucks? Are they in bad order? Air Tinker: Oh, no. They had had complaints about having to use L trucks, he added, and they thought that in the event of a shortage of small tracks they might be allowed to load six-ton loads on to LA wagons for short distances only. There was not much in the haulage of coal. Air Veitch said his department could not afford to give much away. The state of the railway finance at the present time would not permit of much being given away in any direction, but that did not prevent him from trying to meet customers of the department wherever possible. They could not expect much on long distance haulage. “ Your trouble is that the trucks will not carry the weight,” said the Alinister. Air Nicholson: That’s it exactly. ■ Air Veitch: Well, that must be gone into.