RAILWAY FREIGHTS

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 103, 28 October 1932, Page 9

RAILWAY FREIGHTS

—■» . •CARRIAGE OF STOCK

; REDUCTION SOUGHT

- ¥ATTEE OF -FINANCE

..,„ Arguments .in support of the claims of farmers for a reduction in freights on live stock were placed before the Prime.Minister) the Bight Hon. G. W. .Forbes) by a representative deputation this morning. In promising to give - consideration to the ease put before *■ him, Mr. Forbes pointed out that it was .alargely a matter of finance. The Rail- , .jvays Board was leaning heavily on the Consolidated Pund and tho fund was --■working on an overdraft, so it was ■■• aiot desired to increase tho burden. - The principal speaker' was Mr. D. ,-Jones (chairman of tho Meat Producers' Board), who said that although "the price for lamb on the Smithfield '•market was Is per lb in 1925 and wa3 .■mw only sd, the same railway freights -on live stock existed in New Zealand. The number of sheep, lambs, and pigs "carried on the railways had increased from 8,000,000 in 1925 to 10,250,000 in 1931. The charges in New Zealand were 50J per cent, above those in prewar days, while passenger fares had been reduced until they were virtually the same as those charged in 1913. .' Taking: the North' Canterbury sheep fairs as an example, Mr. Jones said that there had been a reduction of 57 .per cent, in the proportion of stock " failed to stockyards between 1929 and 1930, showing that farmers were using the roads. Last year 20 per cent, more Stock .was killed at the freezing works „ tlian in the preceding year, yet the revenue on this stock only iv- . creased by £10,000 on the preceding ■gear's total of £400,000. The farmers ; should not be penalised with a rate 'ivhich made it impossible to rail stock. The policy of the Railways Board was turning thousands of stock on to the roads, with serious results to tho local bodies concerned. The rates on live stock had been reduced in Australia by ,10 per cent, and on. store cattle in Jttainloads by 50 per cent. Sir- Alexander Roberts,' on behalf of the Stock and Station Agents' Association, Mr. W. J. Poison, M.P., on behalf of the Farmers' Union, Mr. H. D.' Acland, on behalf of the Sheep- . owners' Federation, and Mr. H. G. Dickie, on behalf of the inland freezing a works, supported Mr. Jones's couten.tions. "'".'Mr. Forbes said that the position was ...a",difficult one. The Government' was "anxious to bring down costs in every way that it could, and he would be ■ pleased to take the matter up with the ..Railways Board. .The board adopted the attitude that concessions produced loss of revenue; this would mean that th.c loss would fall on the. Consolidated ffund, which was already working on an overdraft. The Government wished to. do whatever it could to assist the farmers, for it recognised that the ivhole prosperity of tho country rested on the farmers; they,must be kept in operation so as to be in a position to ■take^ advantage of the position when "an improvement came in prices. He go into the question with the ■ Railways • Board,' Which wag always ;anxious to work in with the Government.' He explained that there were 'SO differences of Opinion between the board ami the Government. It was a • Blatter of finance.-