FREIGHT RATES REDUCED

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22371, 7 April 1938, Page 10

FREIGHT RATES REDUCED

UNIFORM SCHEDULE ADOPTED WAIPARA-RANGITATA AREA Uniform freight rates for road transport in the area from the Waipara to the Rangitata (the No. 1 zone of the No. 3 transport licensing district) have been agreed upon in a new schedule which is to be adopted after it has been submitted to a meeting of representatives of the Farmers’ Union and various business organisations. In many cases the new schedule will mean a reduction in charges. It was approved at a meeting in Leeston o± delegates from various carriers associations and representatives of the Railway Department, when an outline of the scheme for uniform races was given by the No. 3 Licensing Authority (Mr T. H. Langford). The charges for many classes or goods show a considerable reduction. Rates for grain are lowerj wool rates are fixed at the level !u the lowest rate previously existing; and lamb and fat sheep rates also show a reduction. Lime, manure, and general goods • also show a reduction in charges, which are now to be at the lowest rate previously existing. Chaff, straw’, and hay will also be carried at lower charges. Hourly rates and mileage rates are also lower in the new schedule, and the minimum charge on the mileage rate hgs been reduced from 12s 6d to 7s 6d. Lime and manure sowing is scheduled at the lowest rate previously existing. ' “There will need to be co-opera-tion between the carriers to a far greater extent than formerly to enable the new rates to become a payable proposition,” said Mr Langford. “But I am anticipating no difficulty as far as acceptance by the Farmers’ Union and other organisations is concerned. The new prices are such that it will pay firms to leave their own vehicles in the shed.” , , . Adherence to the new schedule will be a condition of every licence issued in the area. The prices fixed would allow of profitable operation of transport provided that it were efficiently organised, Mr Langford said. The new schedule would cover an area in which there had previously been six different schedules, operating in the Ashburton, Ellesmere, Rangiora, Malvern, Akaroa, and Springs districts. In some cases an operator had been working under more than one schedule. “I am of the opinion that carriers will now be united as they have never been before,” said Mr Langford.