Railway Rolling Stock.

Progress, Volume XV, Issue 11, 1 July 1920, Page 836

Railway Rolling Stock.

Attempts to Remedy Shortage. Some remarks on the shortage of trucks and other rolling stock on the New Zealand railways were made by the Minister of Railways (Mr. Massey) in reply to a Canterbury deputation which waited on him recently. Mr. Massey admitted that the difficulties in keeping up the supply of rolling stock were very great. The Government had intended to give full effect to

there would be an improvement in regard to rolling stock before next harvest. There would be an increased area under wheats and for this reason alone a larger number of trucks would be required. He assured the deputation that the Government was extremely anxious to bring the service up to date, and to provide for the enormous amount of business that was to be done. Never had so much business been done on the railways as during the past six months. There had never before been such a busy period, and the volume of railway business must be an indication of the industry and prosperity of the country.

the report produced by Mr. Hiley in 1913, and the report was being already acted upon, but for many reasons well enough understood it was not possible to do this at once. The difficulties were partly financial, and partly due to shortage of labour and material. He said that the Department was doing its best to overcome the truck shortage. They had been able to build very few -trucks during the war, but since the war had ended they had been endeavouring to place orders not only in New Zealand, but also in England. They had asked for tenders for 2500 trucks in the Old Country, and also for 25 engines, though if it had been possible to have the engines built here the Department would not have gone outside of New Zealand for locomotives. He hoped that