RAILWAY FREIGHTS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 847, 26 October 1923, Page 5

RAILWAY FREIGHTS.

EFFECT ON FARMING INDUSTRY. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Oct, 25. The members of the executive of the Farmers’ Union and representatives of the dairy industry held a conference with the general manager of railways to-day regarding railway freights on farming produce, etc. Mr. Poison presided' Mr H. J. Middleton, president of the South Island Dairy Association, maintained that the present tariff waa excessive, and he pointed out that as a result of the war there , had been an increase of 150 per cent in the railway charge on the carriage of dairy produce. The policy of. the railways was driving traffic to the roads, i Mr G. L. Marshall (Marton) drew attention to the freight on chaff. He said if the freight were reduced by 10s. per truck the farmers would be enabled to compete with Melbourne. The charges on wool, live Stock and dairy produce were, in the farmer’s opinion, all too high. Mr A. E. Harding (Auckland) urged an all-round reduction on the carriage of beef to ports. Mr A. A. Ross said that an immense - advantage to the farming industry would result from the cheaper carriage of fertilisers. . Mr Marshall thought that special arrangements and rates should be made for the carriage of high-class stock, Messrs R. W. Duxfield (Waikato), and Ross (Auckland), drew attention to the extra charges on imported goods, which were in effect a protective duty levied in addition to the ordinary Customs tariff. A reduction by one-third of the freight on benzine was urged by the Southland CX Mr * Leadley (Mid-Canterbury) thought that on a number of articles, the, depart; ment should revert to the 1915 tariff. Mr McVilly, in reply, said that the dopartment had to do its. duty fearlessly to every section of the community and see that the people who use the railwaysi pay a fair, right and proper charge for the i services rendered to them. As one who knew something about railways, but little about farms, he could tell them at the present time it was impossible to make apy. wholegale reduction in ,the rates. The tune had not,arrived to take off the 40 per cent mcreas’e, put on as the result of the w|f, but some measure of relief would be afforded when the financial circumstances warranted it. -