RAILWAY CHARGES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 312, 26 September 1908, Page 8

RAILWAY CHARGES.

'Sir—l quite agree with your article of yesterday on'.the different • freights charged by the" Government Railway: Department. Like other produce merchants; I nave also' been "penalised" for omitting to put the letters "N.Z." on one or two consignment notes when railing'some New Zealand-grown peas, which were sold by me for pig food: - I was absolutely unaware at the time that it was necessary to do so; but still I fail to see that the gives a right to' the railway people to class them as "imported" and charge an "exorbitant" railage, notwithstanding that they have been notified' a mistake has been made. If merchants were to do such a thing it would not ba looked upon as "classification" but something stronger. The traffic manager says "the onus of correctly describing goods on consignment notes rests with the senders." This is all very 'well, but when the Railway Department creates so many "classes" it is a most difficult thing to "describe .anything correctly." This should not be the case; every facility ought to, be given to the consigner, and these "traps"; "classified" out of existence. But this is the most extraordinary part, viz., imported maize, oats v flour, pollard, bran, and wheat can be consigned in the ordinary way, and will be'accepted and charged as New Zealand grown, and made, by tho Railway Department without any demur, but the poor peas have to undergo different treatment; for why, I cannot say, as there are none .imported. But if one does not put "N.Z." on the consignment note when consigning New Zealand-grown peas, he is in the soup, for the Railway Department at once say they are imported, and charge the penal rato of freight. It is about tima the railway tariff was overhauled and thei» irregularities dono away with.—l am,' etc., , P.O.P. . September 24.

WOODWARD STREET. Sirlt is surprising that notwithstanding the transparent fact that tile widening of tho above street to meet)' present. and future requirements has not been carriod out as it should have, and should yet bo carried out, our worthy Mayor arid the Hon. T. K. Macdonald continue to perseyere in seeking to justify ■ .the present position, and in trying to satisfy the ' public mind. Sir, 1,, as a resident, of the city for many ■ years and a ratepayer, feal . sura that'l express tho feelings of ""every intelligent and unbiassed citizen when I say that nothing short of the widening of she said street as shown by the correct plan will satisfy. The elaborate explanations from the gentlemen named tend to aggravate more than satisfy, and' the sooner the. matter is set right by the City Council having the street widening done as it should have been tho better. As to tho \ alue of the land purchased from the Government; I have my own view, and refrain at present from expressing. it. What concerns the citizens most.is that tho widoring operations, should havo been carried out as first intended. If that., is not dono now,- it will have to be dono at a time when it. will cost twenty or more times what it would do now. —I am, etc., : RATEPAYER. September 2& '