STRATFORD NEWS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 308, 7 June 1915, Page 3

STRATFORD NEWS

RAILWAY MISMANAGEMENT. Surely it is time the powers that be looked into the mismanagement of the Stratford-Whangamomona branch line. Some, months ago the residents living in these districts complained of the » shameful treatment nieted out by the | Department on a school excursion that ' travelled from Whangamomona to Now Plymouth for a day at the seaside, and on the return journey were held up at Stratford for over two hours, all because the slow goods train from the south was delayed (probably through insufficient engine power), and had a truck of cattle for the branch line. Mothers with small babies and young children had to remain tiiere till ! after 0 p.m., and then when they arrived at their destination they had a long tramp on bad roads and a dark night.

But tliis time the complaint comes from the goods traffic side. To-day a sawmillcr, who owns a mill on this line, called on your correspondent and expressed his dissatisfaction with the way the Department was interfering with his 'business through the delay in supplying lii.ni with trucks. My informant says that when the Department lias the trucks they frequently remain in tlie local station some days, because the engine lias insufficient haulage power to pull the load, and when the trucks are delivered at the. .mill and loaded with tim'ber tihey often remain days at the mill siding because the train is already overloaded when it reaches the llag station, where the trucks have to be picked up. L'Vt the time of writing, this sawmillcr has four trucks of tinilber loaded, and have been for some days now, but the (rain has not picked it up yet. My informant considers he could have supplied another fifty trucks of timber this past year if the Department could ha.ve delivered it within a reasonable time, but (lie delays caused I)y the non-delivery of the timber !bv the railway had compelled builders to ranccl their orders and go elsewhere, dustries, surely. niR flf.lilTanro. h This is not encouraging local industry. siire.lv. Some official should look into 'these complaints and have. them l rectified. Tin' running of a -special train now and again would obviate all thc.se delays, but, that would mean payins overtime, and that, of course, the Department never likes to do. Lieutenant W. V. Wilson has na.ssed The question of erecting a toll gate at Waipuku by the Stratford County Council is en using foile a stir by the local bodies int.eresl.Ml. The local Horongh Council and the ('lia.niher of Commerce have decided to strenuously oppose the proposal, and intend snibmitting evidence at. the I'onmii.ssion that is to sit in Stratford shortly.

The loral coiitri/lnriioiis to the Hospital Slii-p Fund total £7OS.