REDUCTION SOUGHT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 16, 29 October 1932, Page 3

REDUCTION SOUGHT

CARRIAGE OF LIVE STOCK.

charges on the railway.

(Special tlie "uuardlan.'’) WELLINGTON, October 28

To support the claims of farmers for a reduction of the railway freights on live stock, a deputation representing several prominent farming organisations waited on the Prime Minister (the lit. Hon. G. W. Forbes) to-day. While he promised to give consideration to the ease put before him, Mr Forbes said that the question was largely one of finance. The Railways Board was leaning heavily on the Consolidated Fund, and since the Fund was working on an overdraft, it was not desired to increase the burden. The principal speaker was Mr David Jones (chairman of the Meat Producers’ Board) who said that although the price for lamb on the Smithfield market had declined from Is a lb in 1925 to 5d to-day, railway freights on live stock in New Zealand had not changed. The number of sheep, lambs, and pigs carried on the railway's had increased from 8,000,000 in 1925 to 10,250,000 in 1931. The freights on these were. 50 i per cent, above those charged in pre-war days, while passenger fares had been reduced until they were virtually the same as those charged in 1913.' More Droving Being Done,

Taking North Canterbury sheep fairs as an example, Mr Jones said that there had been a reduction of 57 percent. in the proportion of stock railed to stock yarded between 1929 and 1930, showing that farmers were using the roads. Last year 20 per cent, more stock was killed at tho freezing works than in the preceding year, yet the railway revenue on this stock only increased by £lO/000 on the preceding year’s total, of £400,000. Farmers should not be penalised with a rate which made it impossible to rail stock. The policy of the Railways Board was turning thousands of stock on to the roads with serious results to the local bodies concerned. me rates on live stock had been reduced in Australia by 10 per cent., and on store cattle in trainloads by 50 per cent. Sir Alexander Roberts, on behalf of the Stock and Station Agents’ Association, Mr W. J. Poison, M.P., on behalf of the Farmers’ Union, Mr H. I). Acland, on behalf of the Sheepowners Federation, and Mr H. G. Dickie, M R., on behalf of inland freezing works, supported Mr Jones’s contentions.

A Matter of Finance. - Mr Forbes said the position was a difficult one. The Government was anxious to bring down costs in every way that it could, and he would lie pleased to take the matter up with the Railways Board. The Board took up the attitude that concessions meant a loss of revenue, mid that loss would fall on the Consolidated Fund, which was already working on an overdraft. The Government wished to do whatever it could to assist farmers, for it recognised that the prosperity of the country rested on them. They must be kept in operation so that they would be in a position to take advantage of the situation when an improvement came in prices. He would go into the question raised with tlie Railways Board, which was always anxious to work m with the Government. He explained that' there were no differences of opinion between the Board and the Government, and at the present time the difficulty was only one of finance.