UNPAID RAILWAY PARCELS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XV, Issue 202, 25 November 1925, Page 5

UNPAID RAILWAY PARCELS.

PENALTY CHARGE TOO HIGH

Many business mon in Hastings ait, complaining of the new railway regulations which lay down that a. charge of 25 per cent, extra freight will be made to consignees, on parcels which have not been prepaid at the station of dispatch. This, tho commercial coinmun ity argues, is inequitable and, indeed, extortionate. Many say they would be quite prepared to pay five per cent., which was a reasonable charge, but that 25 per cent, on freights, extended over a year, might total up to anything between £25 and £so—quite considerable amounts. This extra charge only applies to parcels, and not to general merchandise, and presumably the Rail way Department looks upon its parcel de iverv in the same wav as tho Post Office Department looks on theirs and insist on prepayment, in default of which a penalty is imposed on tho addressee. In the meantime the matter is to bo brought up tor discussion at the next meetimr of the Hastings Chamber of Commerce, with a view to urging tho Railway Department to remove, or nt any rate to reduce consideral lv. tho present tax.