THE RAILWAY TARIFF.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2057, 25 July 1867, Page 3

THE RAILWAY TARIFF.

TO THE EDITOR OF. THE LYTTELTON TIMES. .. Sir,—l was.surprised on reading in your paper, of the ; 18th'inat, the tariff fixed by the Southern Railway . Committee, for the conveyance of; farm produce into Chriatchurch, to find it fixed at such a high rate; and feel assured that other farmers will be of my ■opinion, that it will be cheaper to cart grain into .town, which can be done in good weather at 4Jd. to 5d per. bushel, than pay 5d per ton per mile,, which would amount to 3|d per bushel from the Selwyn to Cliristchurch, and then there would be seven miles cartage from Leeston to the Selwyn, and also a charge for delivery from the station in Chriatchurch, while the care delivers the grain at the purchaser's ■; The Superintendent, in his message to the Council, disapproves of the rate fixed, and even recommends a higher one, on the ground that the lower rate would not pay the expenses of the railway, The question.then .rises, was the railway made as a source of revenue, or was it to facilitate communication, with the interior? In either case.l think that ah extreme rate would defeat its object, chiefly for the reason that nobody would make use of the railway while it was possible to cart their produce; on the other, hand, with a moderate rate the large amount of produce that would be forwarded would, in my opinion, turn the scale the other way, and make the railway pay its own expenses, even if it did not leave a surplus. .While . believing; that his Honor has the interests of the province at heart, and particularly those of the agricultural districts, as shewn by the able letter lie wrote regarding, the exportation of grain to England, I would point out that.a high rate of carriage for grain would hinder rather than forward the object in view. It will be observed that I have taken Leeston as an instance, as being one of the principal grain-producing parts of the province;. but,the same remarks would equally apply to other districts within the same distance from'the railway. Your obedient servant, FARMER.