Hawke's Bay Herald. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1904. RAILWAY RATES.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12869, 22 September 1904, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Herald. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1904. RAILWAY RATES.

The reply given by Sir Joseph Ward to the Napier Harbour Board on the question of the differential railway rates is most unsatisfactory. The board, in common with the Chamber of Commerce, Inis been endeavouring to secure what is nothing more than common justice for (his district. Owing to the competition between the Manawatu and Government railway lines, the rates between Wellington and Woodville are lower than those obtaining on Government railways generally. They are lower than those obtaining on the NapierWoodville section. The result is that Napier traders are handicapped in dealing with the southern end of this province, as against the Wellington traders. The injustice of this is sufficiently obvious, and we should have thought it only required pointing out to be put right. The Napier end should be placed on an equality with the Wellington end. Sir Joseph’s arguments are such as show that he has not given tiic matter much attention. “I cannot agree with the contention,” he says, “that because reductions have been made where there are competitive routes it inevitably follows that the Government should adopt a similar principle on other portions of the Government railways where no competition exists!” Who over put forward any such contention? No one in Napier we are certain. We recognise that the circumstances of the Wellington-Wairarapa line are special, hut wc claim that the Napier section is an integral part of that line.

Sir Joseph is apparently of opinion “that there are no special circumstances in connection with the traffic between Napier and Dannevirkc which warrant any departure from the classified rates that operate throughout the colony where normal conditions prevail." How he can say so it is difficult to understand. He does, indeed, seek to throw the blame on high ocean “freight ami port charges,” which is nothing to do with the question at issue. Napier merchants complain that they are handicapped in competing with Wellington merchants by reason of the differential railway rate. That is a matter which can be proved by figures. But Sir Joseph does not mention this point in his reply. On the contrary, he appears to think that we are asking for a “preferential rate for traffic carried over the Government railway between Port Ahurirj ami Napier and Dannevirke.” Of course, we are asking for no such thing. What we do want is that the rates between Wellington and Napier should be uniform. Sir Joseph’s attitude' is, however, just what we should expect from

the Government. The tooted determination to hamper the development of this part of the colony is obvious in all its actions, in the policy of the railway, as in the policy of the tourist department. We hope that the Borough Council will fall into line, and we do not see why the various County Councils should not assist. The whole country is virtually interested in the matter.