WEIGHTS OF GOODS BY RAIL.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20647, 9 September 1932, Page 12

WEIGHTS OF GOODS BY RAIL.

deputation complains OK (NACCURACY. ItAILH AYS BOARD'S CO-OPERATION. A.-king j'.t u moie careful use of: railweigh bridge.--, n more frequent i.«i <ji lii'- t:ire «{ ii-Licks, and 1 lie 'iso „f ir-j-t v. rnjgons when; pussiblu to avoid •ii/Torrnt'-'i \n Height through tCMiipcrani n.-, ~ il f'piit at ion representing the Vurth ' aiiterbury branch. of the Isew farmers' Union. tlio CanterWury lira in Merchants' Association, and the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, united upon members of the Now Zoa•ir.'l Uailways Board in Christchurch last el, imi in;;. The chairman of the Board i.Mr JI. H. Sterling), while regretting mitt tin- deputation could not put beforo 1. :ui com: relo instances of the Department's errors, undertook to do what he '•■"fild to meet their wishes. The deputation comprised Messrs W. W. Mulhollrnid, J. I>. Elall, A. E. G. l.vttJe ( }': i rrnciM' T r ni«n;, AV. Mackay, V.. .M. blir.nd (Grain Merchants' Asso ciation;, and \V. Uottrcli (Chamber of i 'omrrterce >. "We have come lu discuss the "wuighing of freight.-." began Mr Mulholland. •"Wc know this is—" Mr Sterling: A hardy annual. Mr Mulholland: Yes, a hardy annual. Although he realised that the Department took weights largely for assessment of freight charges, Mr Mulholland continued, he wished to emphasise the fact that railway weights were she only weights that could be used as between buyer and seller. The inaccuracy of the weights submitted at different times was the deputation's main cause of complaint. Mr Sterling: Have you had these cases checked ? Mr Mulholland: As far as has been poj^ible. Mr Sterling: You think the errors art) duo to railway weighing? Mr Mulholland: We think in some cases they are. Need of Concrete Cases. Ac Sterling asked why these cases had not been brought immediately to the notice of the Department. When only a general case was presented, lie could reply only in a general way. If lie could "hear concrete eases of complaint, he could investigate them and perhaps discover something helpful for the future. Mr Mulholland went on to say that they knew that the present system of weighing, if carefully carried out, would - give good results. Thgro "were certain factors, however, which tended to upset the working. The cara with which trucks were run over the weigh-bridge-was an important matter. He nuggested that the instruction that each trucJr should stand stationary on the weighbridge was not always carried out. A further proposal of the deputation was that the tare of trucks should be tested more frequently. Mr Sterling: What makes you think that?

Mr Mulholland: Instances have been reported to us of considerable crrora in the tare. that a more frequent "taring" would do away with •ome of those errors at least. Further, wo submit that as far as is possiblo produce sent from, the country to ports should be loaded on iron trucks in preference to wooden trucks. We know that cannot be made a fixed rule. Mr Sterling: You would add to your eoats tremendously.

Use of Iron Trucks. Mr Mulholland said that the weight of wooden trucks varied considerably ob account of the weather, from one oxtreme during north-west winds to the other during a cold, wet south-wester. The difference must amount to a good many pounds. Ho thought that the Department's officers should be asked to use iron trucks as far as possible for goods for export. Mr Sterling: That seems reasonable. I do not see any difficulty in giving that instruction. Wo are, of course, on a campaign to reduce costs, and wo have given a terrific amount of thought to thia part of our duties. Cutting out -wooden trucks altogether, of course, would put up shunting costs and quite overshadow the value of the service. Mr Mulholland: The position amounts to this. With more care on the part of the staff, and more incentive, in the knowledge that this is a service they are rendering to the community Mr Sterling: You arc back on the first question again—more careful weighing. "That should, with the 'taring' of trucks, go a long way to meet our difficulties/' ended Mr Mulholland. Grain Merchants' Views. Mr Mackay expressed, the hopo o£ Die Grain Merchants' Association that the weighing would bo improved. .Mr Sterling: Do you find it really had r* Is there an epidemic of bad weights about, or anything like-thai);* Mr Mackay said that the grain mer- < hants had appreciated the marked improvement in weighing which had been made in tho last few years. The Department had undoubtedly improved things and the percentage of error today wiia small. But realising the importance of tho matter to farmers who had to accept railway weights for payment on their produce, tho association had joined with tho Farmers' Union in asking that the margin of error .should bo rnado still smaller.

Mr Sterling thanked tho deputation lor its testimonial to the Board's services as well as for its suggestions lor their improvement. Tho Board always appreciated a sugar-coated pill. Tho question of goods periodically obtruded itself'. While it was true that tho primary purpose of tho weighing was to gam information for the use of the railways, at the same time the .Department was most anxious to Kive the correct weights. From time to time instructions had been issuud which had by now brought the system nearly to perfection. Probably human nature among railway men as among ♦nrrners and grain merchants, had its frailties, but the Department did aim to see- that the slips were as infrequent as possible. -Instructions to be Issued. "We diall be pleased to circularise our staffs again for a stricter observ*af\?f tbe rulcs governing the use of weijgfcbridges," added Mr Sterling. We wdl have the bridges carefully checked up and the men apprised r.f W> importance of their work." frt» *m. i*for the tiro gfwuggimi,

he declared that their weights should not vary much unless through the absorption of moisture. Every time trucks jessed through the. shops i,ho weights were carefully checked, so that the Department believed that the errors were negligible: This also (V;is a matter. for concrete complaints. As for the use of iron trucks/ he would issue instructions as the deputation wished. Mi- E. Ne\vman said that farmers in New Zealand could rest assured that the Board realised to the utmost the importance of reducing costs and improving facilities, and in every way doing all possible to lighten the burdens of farmers and increase their opportunities foe transacting buanaes.