FARMERS AND THE RAILWAY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9573, 20 August 1909, Page 4

FARMERS AND THE RAILWAY.

At a meeting of the executive of the North Canterbury Farmers' Union, Mr U. Mulholland, asked the chairman (Mr R. Evans) whether the Minister of Railways had bacn asked if there would be an increase of the supply of rolling; stock in view of the fact that there would be a heavy crop of grain. Mr Evans replied that the Minister had indicated that about 600 "L" waggons would be built and thirty engines. Mr Millar had said that he would make the railways pay if New Zealand had any backbone. The rolling stock w.uld be paid for out of loan, but other improvements would be paid or out of the working account. The farmers should not ask for too much;: they must put up with a little inconvenience if they were going to practice economy. They were better served than the farmers of New South Wales or Victoria, where grain frequently stood uncovered at a station for over a month. There were stations all over the Dominion where to stop a j train every day in the 1 week was a waste of time. They should not ask for too much, and with the same breath ask for economy. Mr Mulholland said that if the Government would build the new rolling stock right away, so that it would be ready for the grain season, everything: would be all right, Mr Evans replied that the blockages didjjnot occur__on£the|£railway, u but at the. port : k^„„