Catlins train service complaints
WHEN the Catlins extension section of the railway was opened in 1915, a very poor service was instituted. The settlers and sawmillers naturally resented this. Representation was made to the Railway Department at the time, and a promise was given that as soon as the traffic on the new section improved a daily train service would be run between Balclutha and Tahakopa. During the last few months the goods traffic has been increasing every week, and special goods trains have been run to meet
the increasing traffic, principally timber. The settlers and sawmillers have been waiting patiently for some time to see if the Railway Department would fulfil the promise given when the section was opened, but so far nothing has been done to give the whole Catlins district a daily train service.
Mr A. S. Malcolm, M.P. for Clutha, was approached on the subject, and he met the residents of Tahakopa Valley concerning the grievance on Wednesday last. Mr D. A. Fea, the chairman, in the course of his opening remarks, referred to the present train service, twice weekly, as ‘‘simply rotten’’. Farmers could not make any use of the railway if they desired to attend Owaka or Balclutha stock sales, as it would take three or four days to attend them. The same applied to forwarding live stock to those stock sales, as stock would have to be trucked 24 and 48 hours previous to sale days. It was considered that the Government
should now redeem the original promise and run a daily service.
Mr Malcolm explained that his own idea had always been that the terminus should have been erected at Tahakopa instead of Maclennan. Had this been done the farmers would have had the advantage of one extra daily train and one return to Balclutha on Friday to attend the stock sales. After considerable discussion, Mr M. W. M’Donald moved ‘‘That Mr Malcolm place before the Minister of Railways the hardship that settlers and sawmillers of the Catlins district suffer through the poor railway service; and also ask the Minister to give the district a suitable service as soon as possible.’’ The resolution was carried unanimously.