RAILWAY TARIFF

Grey River Argus, 29 June 1925, Page 7

RAILWAY TARIFF

THE REVISED SCHEDULE. INCREASES AND CONCESSIONS. The proposals contained in Ihe railway tariff are explained by th chairman of the Railway Board (M E. J. Jones) in a statement issued 'lhe revised tariff has been submittci fo chambers of commerce and othe interested bodies for consideration am suggestions. The schedule is extreme!} bulky. Some of the proposals involvi reductions in rates; in other case: reductions have been made in the hope that of more than balancing the losf by the new business that will be in duced by the reductions. The altera, tions are expected to yield £.">79.00( additional revenue. Ordinary fares have not been sub stantially altered. Small adjustments have been made to bring these fares to a uniform basis. Sonic fares have been increased and others decreased slightly, but in no case does the difference exceed 3d. In regard to excursion tickets and fares, the following changes are proposed:— (1) That the journey may be commenced at any time before the expiry of the period during which the tickets are issuable in each case, instead of necessarily on the day on which the i-iiiTHiry of the ticket commences. (2) That break of journey should be permitted after 25 miles have been travelled instead of fifty miles, as at present. (3) That the minimum charge be reduced from (id first class and 4s 2d second class to 5s first class and 3s 5d second class.

The reduction proposed will make the excursion fares operative from fifteen 'miles upwards. Special excursion fares for week-end 'journeys, or for special excursions to s<cnic ami other resorts extending for more than one day will be based on single fare plus 25 per cent, and will •cover distances from eight miles to two ■hundred miles. An innovation is proposed in the institution of family ordinary and excursion tickets. For the t>(|iiivalent of three ordinary adult tickets one or both parents may travel with any number of their own children under tin l age of lt‘» years without further charge. Increases are proposed in commercial t ickets. Alterations have been made in the shorter distance suburban fares. No alterations are proposed in the rates for ordinary season tickets. The charges for checking luggage have been increased from -Id for luggage passing over one section of railway and 9 1 inter-island, to (id and Is respectively. Parcels on which freight is to be paid, at destination w ill be charged 25 per cent additional. I imbcr_ca rri.age rates have been increased 40 per cent. A similar adjustment has been made in respect to bread, flour, fresh fish. . I resh meat, tea, and sugar. Invalid chairs and other similar means of locoinotion have been exemptT'he method of charging for theatrical luggage has been readjusted. Ihe 2-> per cent concession on frozen beef granted in 1922 is to 'or withd rawui. The rate on frozen mutton.is to be •increased to ihe 1920 rate. A minimum chr/rge of half a truck rat<‘ is to be made in respect to livestock. The Department may decline to extend the benefit of free carriage of lime to any farmer who utilises other means of transport than the railwav. A concession rate of five_eighths is made in respect to the carriage of metal for local bodies. A reduction has been made in respect to bitumen for roading purposes. Demurrage will accrue 'on trucks standing for unloading after eight hours, instead of five hours. The period of time for which goods may be left on hand before storage charges become payable has been A charge of Is 5d per ton per day' or part of a day is to be made when goods for shipment are held in trucks waiting to be shipped. In connection with the charges on native coals, the special rate for distances over 75 miles has been abolish.