CORN SACKS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 139, 14 June 1909, Page 8

CORN SACKS.

A QUESTION OF WEIGHT. This morning a deputation comprising Messrs. Davey, Laurenscm, Witty, Ell, Burton, Craigie, M'Laren, Arnold, Glover,' aud Poole, waited on the Minister for Railways to urge that the regulation under which sacks containing wheat, oats, or barley exceeding 2031b5. weight are charged four times the ordinary freight, should be extended to apply to other produce which has to be handled by manual labour. Mr. Laurenson informed the Minister that the president of the Stevedores' Union in Lyttelton had given the following as the weight of sacks which men at present were being compelled to handle: — Rye 2401b5., peas 256ib5., beans 2521b5., clover seed 2721b5., maize 2241b5. The Hon. Mr. Millar, after hearing further representations on the same lines, said that he was not aware until being told on Saturday by, Mr. Witty, of what was going on in regard to other cereals than wheat, oats, and barley. Since the gazetting of the regulation in regard to the latter, representations had been made to him to allow the maximum weight to be increased to 205, but he had opposed this step as being the thin end of the wedge. His instructions to the Department had been to overlook cases in which the maximum weight of 2031b5. had been exceeded by only £lb. or so, but the penalty of fourfold freight had been inflicted where the bags weighed 2061b5. and 2071b5. It was too late this season to make the regulation!} apply to the other cereals named, but the principle had been laid down, and he would at once take steps to collect full information.