LIVE STOCK FREIGHTS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 270, 29 October 1932, Page 8

LIVE STOCK FREIGHTS

CARRIAGE ON THE RAILWAYS. REQUEST FOR A REDUCTION. Wellington, Oct. 28. Arguments iu support of the claims of fanners for a -reduction in freights on live stock were placed before tho Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes) by a representative deputation. The principal speaker was Mr D. Jones, chairman of the Meat Producers’ Bqard, who said that although the price of lamb on the Smithfield market was Is per lb in 1925 and was now nnly sd, the same railway freights on live stock existed in New Zealand. Tho number pf sheep, lambs and pigs carried on the railways had increased from 8,000,000 in 1925 to 10,250,000 iu 1931. The charges in New Zealand were 50} per cent above those in preWar days, while passenger fares had been reduced until they were virtually the same as those charged in 1913. Mr Forbes said that the position wax a difficult one. The Government was anxious to bring down costs in every way it could, and he would be pleased to take the matter up with the Railways Board. Tho board adopted the attitude that concessions produced loss of revenue, and this would mean that tlie loss would fall on the Consolidated Fund, which was already working on an overdraft. The Government wished to do whatever it could to assist farmers, for it recognised that the whole prosperity of the country rested on 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 would go into the question with tho Railways Board, which was always anxious to work in with the Government. He explained that there were no differences of opinion between the board and the Government. It was a matter of finance.