NATIONAL ASSOCIATION.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 10148, 22 September 1898, Page 6

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION.

A general meeting of the Canterbury section of the National Association of New Zealand was held last night at the rooms. The chair was occupied by Mr A. E. G. Rhodes, the President, and there was a large attendance of members. The subject for discussion was "Railway rates." The President said that before proceeding to consider the subject for which the meeting had been called i he would like to draw attention to the great loss the colony had sustained by the death of Sir. George Grey. He proposed a resolution expressive of the regret of the Association at the news.

Mr A. W. Beaven seconded the resolution, which was carried.

Mr W. T. Edgar (secretary) said protests had been made to successive Governments on the subject*of the injustice done to the people of Canterbury through' excessive charges on the Port railway, and as yet there had been but trifling reductions. Under these circumstances it was a subject for the Council to take up. He referred to the conference between the Chamber of Commerce and the North Canterbury members of the House in. March, 1897, on the matter, and the figures on the subject, which"had appeared in the Pkess, and went on to quote tables showing the unfairness of the rates compared with the Port Chalmers to Dunedin, and the Onehunga to Auckland rates. Cartage was also an expensive item in connection with, the Christchurch-Lyttel-ton charges, and it was claimed that the •Railway Department charged more than it cost them for cartage- The "transfer charges" were also most .exorbitant, and the detention an 3 storage charges were extremely high. It was believed, too, that a large proportion of the amount charged by the Department for overtime was pure profit. The result was an additional tax on consumers. It precluded business men obtaining a fair share of coastal trade, and placed an insurmountable obstacle in the way of the export of goods manufactured here, and finally placed a limit to the employment of labour, which under different treatment should be far higher than it is now.

Mr Beaven gave some interjs'.iag iuiormation of a statistical nature with regard to our railways.

Mr Howland called attention to the excessive charges for the carriage of goods on the New Zealand railways, as compared with the freight on the same articles from America to Lyttelton.

Mr Chrystall cited instances showing the excessive railway rates, which in many cases resulted in business going away from Christchurch. He thought the Association might advocate the introduction of more scientific methods in the management of our railways, and referred to the fact that in England" it was usual to find exceptionally qualified men in charge of the railways. He considered that New Zealand would do well to appoint a man of extensive knowledge and ability, even at a large salary, if not to take charge of our railways, at least to report oa the best method of working them.

Messrs Lock and Hopkins also sp. k>: en the subject.

The following resolution was tacfoi : — "That a committee be appointed to consider tho question of railway rate* in Canterbury,

such committee to work with similar committee of athei associations 01 secieties m furthering the object of the adoption, by <3overmv>crt of an equitable tariff for goods auJ passenger traffic." ■ A vote of thanks was passed to the Hon. Secretary for his report, and to Mi Chnrstall and others for the information supplied to tUc meeting.