LIVE STOCK ON RAILWAYS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume xxv, Issue 10713, 29 August 1913, Page 3

LIVE STOCK ON RAILWAYS.

A BETTER SYSTEM WANTED. Tho question of tho carriage of live stock on rnilwaj's wns the subject of <lll intonating statement by the Hon. \V. IT. li'orries in tho House on Wednesday., whoa replying to certain inombor?. Tho Minister said chat there had been fl. groat many complaints about tho earn ago of stuck, especially about frhuniing, but. tho complaints accumulated and- was' out in shoals from every farmers' union -nicl agricultural society's mooting. People who had complaints to make should really in like then; immediately to the department, so that when there was undtio delay and cruelty to the stock, tho department could take proper action. The department was anxious to meet tho wishes of the owners. Instruction a had been issued that trucks containing live stock were to 1)0 shunted as little as possible, but ifc h:uv -impossible to supervise all shunting. There was already a special s!'';ck train running to Auckland, arriving in time for the weekly sale at Auckland.

Sir Walter Buchanan: I made similar complaints about the carriage of cheese .last. year, but I saw the cheese in-London damaged. Mr.Herrie®: Well, all i can suggest is that the cheese in that case- was live stock. —(Laughter.) If the hon. gentleman had any complaints to mako about cheese, inquiries wouJd be made into them. He could assure the stock owners that where the amount of stock to be carried warranted at, the department would be only too glad to put on a special stock train. Tho question of providing facilities for the stock-going to Auckland being put out of the train either at Ohakune or Tairnarunui was receiving his earnest attention. He did not know what the cost was going to be, for taking cattle out of the train and nutting them back involved a good deal of work on the part of the railway employees. The shippers might bo required to pay a little more for moving their stock. Mr 0. K. Wilson: They're quite willing to do that. Mr [lorries snid he would have something definite to say in the matter before tho season closed.