NEW RAILWAY TARIFF.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 184, 6 August 1925, Page 9

NEW RAILWAY TARIFF.

COAL FREIGHTS .REVIEWED.

AUCKLAND RATES INCREASED.

DEPARTMENT OUT FOR REVENUE.

"As the Prime Minister has stated that the new railway tariff will be published this week, and as the railway officials in Wanganui have given some indication of the new rates on coal, as far as it affects that place, I feel that I am now justified in making public the reBult of our negotiations with the Railway Board on the matter," said Mr. Rich-White, secretary of the Glen Afton Collieries, when asked if he had anything to say on behalf of the Waikato collier owners to-day. Early in July representatives of each of the Waikato mines waited upon the board in Wellington, the result being that what the miiieowners consider a "very satisfactory arrangement" was completed. Continuing, Mr. Rich-White said: "It will be remembered that the proposals contained in the new tariff, issued in June, involved large additions to the freight on coal to long-distant points. For instance, the rate from the Waikato mines to New Plymouth was to be increased by 10/2 per ton; to Palmerston North, 6/2; and to Napier, 10/2." Where Auckland Comes In. "Upon meeting the board," he continued, "we found them sympathetic to the interests of the industry, but they were emphatic inasmuch as they were definitely out to make the railways pay. One feature of the board's proposals was that no increase in coal freights was to be made for distances under 75 miles. This meant that Auckland city, and, in fact, the whole province of Auckland, which consumes approximately 300,000 of the 450,000 tons of Waikato coal produced, would not be called upon to contribute anything in respect to increased freights. This was plainly pointed out to the Railway Board, and, after much deliberation, they agreed to revise the rates and to make each locality bear a portion of the i burden. Obviously, to increase the rates by as much as 10/ per ton to longdistance places would mean that, while on paper the Department would collect increased revenue, they would not actually carry the coal, as water-borne coal would supply the trade. The rates on Waikato coal are to be increased by 1/ per ton from one mile, graded so as to reach 2/ per ton at 100 miles. The effect of the above will be that the freight to | Auckland will be increased by 1/8 per l ton; to Hamilton by 1/ per ton; and to any station over 100 miles by 2/ per ton." No 'Big Increases In Price. According to the representatives of the Waikato coal mines, it is considered that the increases will give the Department the required revenue, and will not create hardship on any individual section of the public or large consumers. From the point of view of the latter it was considered they should not be called upon to pay such heavy increases as 10/ per ton, while the people of Auckland district went "scot free." Concluding, Mr. Rich-White,said: "An increase in the retail price of coal will be inevitable. We do not know the exact date when the new -rates will come into operation, but colliery owners will steps to. protect the public by insisting .that the. retail price will not be increased by more than the actual freight charges."