RAILWAYS BUSY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 November 1939, Page 6

RAILWAYS BUSY

INCREASE IN GOODS HANDLED AT MASTERTON. POOR SUPPORT FOR EXHIBITION SPECIALS. Largely increased business on the railways and in the amount of goods handled by Masterton town carriers has resulted since the Railways .Department closed down its road goods services at the end of September. The carriage of general merchandise, said an official of the Masterton Railway Station staff this morning, had increased a hundred pci - cent since the road services ceased operation. There was little or no change in the transport of coal or timber, as these classes of goods were not handled by road transport to any degree. Wool was now beginning to come forward. Last week 1200 bales were despatched by rail from Masterton and so far this week 1500 bales had been delivered to the station. The increase in goods handled by the railways had necessitated the working of overtime by members of the staff and in this connection the hours had been extended so that someone would be on duty from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. So far the existing train services had been sufficient to handle the goods offering, though, of course, larger trains than was the ease some months ago were necessary. The special passenger train run. last Saturday from Woodville to Wellington to cater for visitors to the Exhibition was very poorly patronised, so much so that the train set down for running from Woodville to Wellington on November 25 had boon cancelled. Tomorrow, an Exhibition special would run from Masterton to Wellington, but if better public support for these (rains were not forthcoming (here would be no alternative but to cancel them. There was some hope, however, that patronage would improve with the approach of the holiday season.