OVERCHARGED FOR COAL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 237, 7 October 1930, Page 9

OVERCHARGED FOR COAL.

REBATE FOR POWER BOARD

DEFECTIVE WEIGHBRIDGE

Owing to a defective railway weighbridge at Hikurangi the Auckland Electric Power Board has been overcharged in freight for its coal 6uppliee. It was reported at yesterday's meeting pf the board by the general manager, Mr. R. H. Bartley, that the Railway Department had admitted that its weighbridge at' Hikurangi, on which coal trucks, recently found deficient in weight, had been weighed, showed an error of approximately oewt a truck. There would be a rebate in freights, and he proposed to pay the coal company on the basis of the reduced weights received. In agreeing to a settlement with the board, "the Auckland' representative of the Portland Cement Company's coal mine Mr. H. R. Cooke, said that he Lad pointed out to the Railway Department that, owing to the uncertainly of its weighbridges, it was penalising his company, which wae losing orders as a consequence. He had asked for a guarantee that the weights in the future could be accepted The divisional superintendent of railways, Mr. E. Casey, had promised to "-o into the matter thoroughly and rrive'both the company and the board an assurance that in future the bridges would be systematically tested and weight would be guaranteed.