VALUE OF SILKS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 13 December 1924, Page 15

VALUE OF SILKS.

“CHEAPER PHAN WOOLLENS.” \ An idea of the decrease in the value of silks as compared with other fabrics, is conveyed in the following letter forwarded by the Wellington Chamber of Commerce to the Railway ’Department: “One of our members interested in the importation of silks' has pointed" out to us an anomaly in rates over the railways that militates considerably against the use of the railway service 1 for the conveyance of silks', more particularly over the Auckland lines, where the bulk of such goods could he sent by rail instead of by! boat, as at present. The firm that! lias brought this anomaly under our notice distributes silks throughout j New Zealand, and states that the' freight charged over the railways is 50 per cent more for such goods than for general drapery, and no additional risk for this extra charge is borne by the railway authorities. We understand that this special rating has been discarded by other railway services throughout ■ the world, as‘silks to-day are recognised as a necessity and not as a luxury, as they were 50 years ago. Owing to the introduction of artificial silks these goods are cheaper today even than woollens, and would m some articles even approach the price of cotton. We venture the opinion that the request, in this instance, is a reasonable one, and I would be pleased if yen could look into this special rating to see whether relief can he granted and the anomaly removed.” Mr Wilson (Rail way Department) states that the complaint is being considered, together with others which have been forwarded to the department.