Trade With Westland.

In discussing the advance towards national economy secured from the Midland line the “Christchurch Press” states:—“One of the essential things in production and distribution is speedy and direct delivery, and this the Midland railway secures for the coal and timber of Westland.

“Another desirable thing is the delivery of goods with the smallest amount of damage and deterioration. And this also is achieved by the railway, at any rate so far as the coal is concerned. Any heavy breakage of goods transported from any point to another—whether from England to New Zealand, or from Lyttelton to Ashburton—is a direct economic loss. Similarly any heavy reduction of the merchantable quality of coal is an economic loss, and this loss, which was necessarily great through the repeated rough handling in the days when coal for Canterbury and Otago was loaded on ships at Greymouth, has been almost entirely got rid of through the railway connection that makes unnecessary any handling between the pit mouth and the Christchurch merchant's depot.”