RAILWAY TARIFFS

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXIV, Issue 3241, 11 December 1930, Page 5

RAILWAY TARIFFS

FURTHER INCREASES MADE. SOFT COAL AND ROAD METAL. TIMBER FOR FRUIT CASES. Further tariff increases for carriage of certain classes of goods are announced by the Minister of Railways in a special Gazette. Owing to the fact that the latest revisions have not all been made exactly in accordance with the recommendations of the Royal Commission, it is impossible to estimate the amount of the additional annual re venue likely to accrue, although it will be considerable. The chief items affected by these changes, which will operate from next Sunday, are New Zealand brown or soft coal and road metal for use by local bodies.

INCREASE IN REVENUE. An increase in revenue totalling £65,000 is expected to result from increases in rates for the carriage of brown coal. Although the total increase in revenue expected remains the same as that estimated by the Commission, the increases have been rearranged. Under the new arrangement rates will be increased by 11 per cent, up to 200 miles and gradually increased from 11 percent. to’ 13 per cent, between 200 and 250 miles, with a flat increase of 13 per cent, beyond 250 miles. Another important alteration relates to removal of the concession granted on the carriage of road metal for use by local bodies. This was estimated by the Commission to result in additional revenue totalling- £29,000 a year. RATES ON PRODUCE GOODS. Other alterations in tariff are regarded by the department mainly as technical changes to give effect to minor proposals of the Commission. Revision has been made in the rates for goods of the produce type, such as grain and potatoes. The rate on imported timber, except hardwood poles, has been reduced to the same level as that for local timber. Change has been made in the regulation dealing with empty cases for the carriage of fruit and shoolcs for the manufacture of fruit cases. This has been necessary owing to an alteration in the rates for local and imported timber. At present this regulation makes provision for the carriage of New Zealand timber only, but imported timber and New Zealand timber used in the manufacture of fruit cases will not be charged the same rate.

A further amendment makes provision for an increase by 11 per cent, on brown or soft coal from the coalproducing areas of North Auckland to Opau, Onerahi and Kaikohe. An increase of 10 per cent has also been made on coal at present charged at local rates from the coal mines to Westport for shipment.