FREIGHT CUTTING

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 121, 24 May 1928, Page 10

FREIGHT CUTTING

RAILWAY V. STEAMER POLICY QUESTIONER (By Telegraph.) ? (Special tP "Thß kv«Hinß Post") , ■•.'■■ AUCKLAI^Dj;This Day. A further statement-regarding special rates for the' carriage', of good* charged by the -Railway Department when in. competition with water transport was made yesterday'b^Mr.1 Charles Rhodes, chairman bf: directors: ofjthe Northern Steamship Company, Mr.. Rhodes's original remarks) "made at tha company's annual meeting, "have already been replied to by Mr:-El Casey, divisional superintendent of railways. Mr. Rhodos states that Mr,. Casey, ia his reply, contended' that-the'Railway, Department did not - carry goods at special rates below* cost, and,.bcrc was consequently no burden' on the7 taxpayers as a result of tho Department's competitive operations. "If that is the, truth;" says Mr. Rhodes, "why is Morririsville penalised by 'having to pay, 70s Id in class A a ton for 103 miles, if 35s a ton to Te Aroha, lIS miles, is an economical rate? And why do. folks, at Morrinsville : rail their stuff from Auckland to Te Aroha and reconsign it back to .Morrinsville to sava. freight if the Department could economically haul freight to Morrinsville ati the Te Aroha.rate?. Andiif 355, which1 is tho rate charged to Thames, 148 miles, is a payable rate, why charge even 35s to Te Aroha, 115-miles, audj worso still, 70s Id to Morrinsville, 108; miles? Also, if the fertiliser, freight rate is a payable one, why was it necessary for the Government -in its Estimates 'for 1926 and 1927 to mako pro. vision for votes of. £.40,000 to be paid, to the Railway Department in consideration of losses on manure freights? Again, if 10s lid a ton to.;-Tauranga from Wcstfield is a payable .rate, why, does the Department charge.-69s for a ton of general cargo from Auckland to Tauranga? The Northern Company has no objection whatever to competition, but tariff-cutting at obviously unpayable rates is an injury, not only to tha company but t6 the - taxpayers, who must bear the loss, A. serious risk is also run by those settlers in placos not served by the railways;'* .whoso means of transport'is jeopardised if the ordinary coastal steamers aro forced out of tho trade. Mr.. Casey says special rates arc in force elsewhere, for instance, between Lyttelton and coastal towns of Dunedin. No doubt they are just as unfair in the South, but if they really are on a payable basis,- how doe? Mr. Casey explain. the loss of £783 ' 047 made by his Department on last year's operations?" - ,