Good Service.

The institution of farmers' excursions was an effort to meet a demand. On march 26th the excursion of North Canterbury farmers to Southland took 744 farmers. On June 4th the West Coast farmers' excursion to Dunedin took 212 farmers. On June 28th the Otago farmers' excursion to the West Coast took 240 farmers. The Otira tunnel, when it was undertaken, was expected to deal with a traffic of 1000 tons a day. It would be interesting to know that recently the Department had created a record of 3100 tons per day through the “hole in the hill.” The men had been called upon to deal with a treble load, and they had not heard one word of dissatisfaction from the people whose business was dealt with through the tunnel. That was a silent work that was carried on and about which very little was heard, for the achievements of the railwaymen could not be blazoned from the housetops.

Mr. Sterling congratulated Canterbury on the excellent grain season that had been experienced.

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For the four weeks ended May 26th last there were moved on the railways 324,000 tons of grain, as against 172,000 tons for the corresponding period of last year. The increase for the season probably would not be proportionately large, as the grain was later this year. Dealing with complaints about shortage of waggons, Mr. Sterling said they could not control the demand for waggons in any shape whatever, and yet they had been able successfully to deal with the great increases in business to which he had referred, even though their difficulties were increased by the shoaling of the Greymouth bar and the consequent necessity for shifting a great deal of stuff overland.