FREIGHT CHARGES

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18911, 28 January 1927, Page 12

FREIGHT CHARGES

—©— — HOW CANTERBURY SUFFERS.

AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION IN • NORTH ISLAND.

.A deputation from the .Mid-Canter-bury Provincial Executive of the Farmers' Union, consisting of the president (Mr J. Carr) and Mr G. W. Lcadley, waited upon the Ashburton Chamber of Commerce last night with a view to ascertaining what action could be taken to obtain a reduction on the overhead charges on agricultural produce being forwarded from Ashburton'to Auckland. A table showing.the cost of railage, freight, etc., on produce from on trucks Ashburton to into store Auckland, prepared by the secretary (Mr W. B. Thomas), .was submitted and showed that the cost on wheat was Is 2d per bushel, oats per bushel, grass seed 8d per bushel, potatoes £2 9s per ton, and chaff' £3 9s per ton. Mr Carr said they had not yet been able to obtain any particular instance, but- it was thought that the freight on produce from - Australia to Lyttelton was higher than from Australia to Auckland. ■ ■ .' ■ '

Mr Leadley said the producers ■ were constantly being asked why their, produce was so dear, but the freight and overhead charges on commodities sent forward from any point,in the South Island. to the North Island amounted in many cases to over 100 per cent, of tho value of the, goods. It was on, account of this that Australia was able to compete so favourably with the South Island for the North Island trade. The farmers would like to know whether the amount charged was commensurate with the amount of labour involved in handling. They should unite in order to preserve the North Island trade, which was their natural market; they should not-toler-ate the present state of affairs. He instanced the. overhead charges on five tons of potatoes which had been-for-warded from Ashburton to Wellington, the cost being £l3, 7s and the.net return to the seller £9 Bs. ' The chairman said they should appeal to the people handling the goods to see if some reduction in charges could not- be made. With the low price of produce this year the farmers were up against it, having to pay such heavy' overhead expenses. The secretary was instructed to write to the Ashburton Merchants' Association asking, them ■ to fix a fair charge for loading only of produce in Ashburton. It was decided to approach the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce to ascertain if some reduction could not .be made in shipping rates' on produce from South to North Island ports.